


Made of Something Different Now

by the_jedi_ninja



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Canon, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Related, F/M, I promise, Light Angst, OCs that are super cool, Party, Ten Years Later, Zutara, Zutara Month, all the feels, as I see fit, guests - Freeform, sneaking about at night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-09-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 46,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24046720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_jedi_ninja/pseuds/the_jedi_ninja
Summary: "The two friends looked at one another for a heartbeat, then Katara suddenly dispensed with the formalities and flung herself into Zuko’s arms and squeezed him tight. Zuko was taken off guard for a moment before gratefully returning the embrace. It was good to see her."---It's ten years since Zuko was crowned Fire Lord. The world has changed, and the people in it. Zuko is hosting a celebration of the achievements of the past decade and with it comes the chance to re-connect with an old friend.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 109
Kudos: 260





	1. ZUKO

**Author's Note:**

> Some things to be aware of before you start. I have dispensed of cannon where I see fit, but kept bits that I liked. The events which lead to the founding of the United Republic of Nations have happened, but Azula was not enlisted to help find her and Zuko’s mother.  
> Azula and her father remain in prison, both with their fire bending taken away (because seriously, why would you leave Azula with her bending Aang?!)
> 
> Zuko only found his mother a few years ago, and she did not have her memories taken away, nor start a secret second family. (But more on that later in the fic).
> 
> I hope that certain decisions I have made will be obvious from my writing, however if you are confused if an event happened or not in this version of events, please ask and I will fill you in.  
> New chapters every week! (Subject to mental health)
> 
> Enjoy! And I thrive off external validation, so please leave comments, even if it’s just a keyboard smash. I particularly like it when people quote lines that they really enjoyed reading back to me.
> 
> Ps. the title of the fic is taken from Snow Patrol's song of the same name from their Reworked album. You should check it out, it's A++.

Zuko pulled nervously at his robes. He had no idea why he was so jittery today, it wasn’t like this was the first time he’d hosted representatives from all over the Five Nations. After all, it was ten years since his coronation. Or would be in seven days anyway.  
Today marked the beginning of a week long celebration of his decade on the throne. A decade of trying to right the wrongs of his ancestors, helping rebuild the Nations after the Hundred Year War, and a decade of making mistakes he knew his uncle never would have. Zuko still occasionally thought that his uncle would have made a better Firelord than he did, but despite his self doubt Zuko had risen to the challenge of changing the minds of the other nations about his family and his own nation. Of course, being friends with the Avatar didn’t hurt matters.  
His Uncle Iroh meanwhile was happily living in Ba Sing Se, his tea shop restored to him, far removed from the politics of the world. Zuko didn’t begrudge him that. Iroh had earned a quiet retirement twenty times over. Although that didn’t mean Zuko still didn’t write to him for advice every now and then. And on occasions, like this one, Iroh came to visit.

It wasn’t his uncle that was making Zuko nervous though, he’d been here for days already, charming the cooks and joking with the servants, and generally reminding Zuko that sometimes his uncle could be a pain in the royal backside.  
No, right now Zuko was meeting a select group of people who had been invited to spend the next week a the palace in the build up to his coronation party. King Kuei from the Earth Nation was arriving (although thankfully had been persuaded to leave Bosco at home), Katara was representing the Southern Water Tribe while Chief Arnook was coming from the Northern Water Tribe. A few of the Kyoshi Warriors were attending, although Suki and Sokka would be arriving with the rest of the Gaang in seven days time for the royal banquet. The others of the advance party were made up of chiefs and mayors of other important cities around the Four Nations, including the Fire Nation. There was even a few people from the newly established United Republic of Nations.

“Stop fussing,” said a gentle voice, as an even gentler hand stopped his own from plucking his robe to shreds.

Zuko’s eyes closed ever so briefly and then opened again. “Mother,” he said.

She came around to stand in front of him. “Why are you so nervous? These are all people you know. They respect you and have come to celebrate with you.”

Zuko sighed. “I don’t know all of them that well. Katara is the only one I’ve spent a lot time with. I wish Aang and the others were this week too.”

“I know,” replied Zuko’s mother. “But they have their own duties to attend to. As you have yours.”  
Zuko nodded in response and was about to reply when a guard arrived at the door announcing the arrival of the guests.

“It’s time,” said Ursa. “I’ll be waiting for you in the Welcome Hall.”

Taking a deep breath, Zuko stepped out of the room and out onto the grand palace steps to welcome his guests.

Zuko had expected the nerves in his stomach to recede as his guests arrived, but eventually there was only one carriage left in the line and Zuko knew it was Katara’s. If anything, his heart was hamming heavier than it had been all morning and Zuko couldn’t work out why. Katara was one of his oldest friends. Why would he be nervous to see her? Yes, they hadn’t seen each other in person in a few years, she was busy training a new generation of water benders at the South Pole and he was Firelord of an entire nation. They’d exchanged letters over that period and Aang and Sokka had brought greetings from her often enough on their travels. So why could he still feel his heart pounding against his chest?

And then Katara was emerging from her carriage, and Zuko felt nothing but relief and affection surge through his body. She was dressed in a light dress in her trademark blue, wraps on her arms, and the ever present flask of water attached to her waist. Always ready for a fight, thought Zuko to himself, but then again, old habits die hard.  
Fully out of the transport they stood face to face and Zuko could see the light in her eyes. They bowed at one another formally.

“Katara of the Southern Water tribe, you honour us with your presence.”

“It was an honour to receive your invitation Lord Zuko.”

The two friends looked at one another for a heartbeat, then Katara suddenly dispensed with the formalities and flung herself into Zuko’s arms and squeezed him tight. Zuko was taken off guard for a moment before gratefully returning the embrace. It was good to see her.

“Zuko, it’s so good to see you!” said Katara holding him at arms length and looking him over. “You cut your hair!”

“Huh? Oh. Yeah.” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck, newly exposed. “I liked it better shorter.” He’d sported the traditional long hair of Firelords for years in an attempt to look the part, but eventually realised that it was tying him to a past he didn’t want to be a part of. He only kept his top knot long now. The rest of it was cut short, with loose strands falling over this forehead and framing his face.

Katara smiled. “It suits you.”

“Thanks.”

“How’s your family?” asked Katara, releasing him entirely from her touch.

“Well Father and Azula are much the same as ever,” replied Zuko darkly. “Uncle Iroh also continues to be the same as ever, albeit on the other end of the scale.”

Katara smiled at him. “Zuko, that’s not who I meant.”

The Firelord visibly brightened. “Oh Katara, it’s so amazing to have my mother back here. I thought I’d never see her again and yet here she is. It’s wonderful to have her advice and knowledge, and -” Zuko stopped abruptly, remembering who he was talking to. “I’m so sorry Katara. I didn’t mean to - your mother. I’m sorry. I mean-”

“Zuko it’s fine,” said Katara placing a reassuring hand on his arm and smiling softly at him. “It’s wonderful you have your mother back. I’m so happy for you!”

“Really?”

“Of course! I can’t wait to meet her.”

“She can’t wait either. Shall we?”

Katara nodded and the two of them made their way up the stairs to the Welcome Hall together.

Everyone was already gathered around in the Welcome Hall. Those who had been first to arrive through the gates had fallen into casual conversations with those around them, while the ones in carriages just before Katara’s were still taking in the decor of the palace. They had good reason too. The Fire Palace was regal, a statement of the Fire Nation’s wealth and power, built well before Zuko became ruler of the nation. Zuko was painfully aware of how he didn’t want this week to be a display of strength, but of unity, so instead of the symbols of the Fire Nation he had ordered the symbols of all Nations be hung on the walls. Cities that had their own emblems were there too, even those who didn’t have representatives present had banners. It made the Welcome Hall a riot of colour, when Zuko ascended the staircase and saw all the different people mixing under them he knew he’d made a good decision.  
Katara spotted Chief Arnook and gave him a smile and small wave. He nodded back to her and she turned to Zuko.  
“I’m going to stand with Chief Arnook,” She gave his arm a quick squeeze. “I’m excited to see what you have planned for us.” And then she was gone, her long braid swishing gently from side to side in time with her steps.

Zuko’s eyes followed her for a moment, the familiarity of her shape taking him back, not necessarily to a simpler time, but a time that was precious to him nonetheless. And then he was walking to the front of the Welcome Room, onto a slightly raised platform that had been assembled there that morning. Uncle Iroh and his mother stood on it already, both looking fantastic in their formal wear. His uncle had changed into his red robes, as opposed to the green ones he usually sported these days, and although his mother wore a crown in her hair, she no longer wore the royal shoulder pads she once would have done.  
As he made his way though the room the mummers and conversations faded until all was silent as he turned to address the room.

“Welcome!” said Zuko in a firm voice. “Thank you for coming to celebrate the anniversary of my coronation but also the end of The Hundred Year War. The past ten years haven’t always been easy, but I am humbled by your willingness to negotiate peace with the Fire Nation.”

Here Zuko paused, placing his fist beneath his upward pointing palm and bowed formally to the whole room as a sign of his thanks and respect.

“This week is a celebration, but also a chance for you to see the Fire Nation as you may never have done before. Apart from people’s chambers and my office, there is no place in the Palace that is off limits to you as guests this week. I wish to be as open with you all here as you have been to me over the past ten years. We have organised one formalised activity per day. Please use the rest of the time as you see fit, exploring the surrounding town or relaxing. If you have any requests simply find a member of staff and I am sure they will be able to assist you.”

“My staff will show you to your rooms when you are ready,” and Zuko gestured to the servants that had filed in silently as he spoke and were now lined up against the wall. “I am sure many of you are weary from your journeys and would like to freshen up. A gong will sound to announce dinner in a few hours.”  
And with that, Zuko bowed once more and stepped off the platform. 

There was a slight pause before the guests broke out into a short appreciative applause, as if everyone had been expecting the address to last longer. But Zuko knew there would be plenty of speeches before the week was over. He didn’t want to say everything in one go and repeat himself over and over for the rest of the week.

Those who hadn’t had as far to travel to the Fire Palace stood around for a while, chatting amongst themselves. Zuko walked among them, welcoming them more informally and making small talk. Eventually he excused himself on the pretence of having to sort a few things before the feast, however when he left the hall he didn’t turn in the direction of his office. Instead he made his way towards the section of the palace that had been designated as guest rooms for the week.

The large ornate doors of chambers passed him by until he came to the one he was looking for. From the outside it looked the same as the others but Zuko knew that it had the most impressive view of the Palace gardens and caught the sunlight most of the day. It was a very comfortable room to stay in, and Zuko had specifically requested that Katara be placed there for the week. Was it favouritism? Of course. Would anyone blame him? Probably not.

He gave a light rap on the door, hoping that Katara had had enough time to freshen up. After a brief moment the wooden door in front of him creaked open and Katara stood before him. On seeing him, her face brightened and the door opened wide. She had changed out of her travel dress and was now in a lighter one, more suited for the heat of the Fire Nation. It was sleeveless and she had abandoned her arm wraps, but her mother’s necklace shone bright against her dark skin as Zuko knew it always would. Her hair hung free from its braid, still slightly damp, as if Zuko had interrupted her in the middle of drying it.

“Zuko! I wasn’t expecting to see you again until the feast.” Her tone was surprised and Zuko suddenly wondered if he was overstepping some boundary he didn’t know existed.

“Sorry, I didn’t meant to disturb you. I, uh, If now’s a bad time…”

Katara laughed. “I didn’t mean it as a bad thing.” She stood aside and gestured with her head. “Come on in.”

“So what is it?” she asked, closing the door behind them once Zuko had entered. “I assumed the Fire Lord would be too busy for social visits.”

She was joking Zuko knew, but he didn’t have a funny retort for her. The easy laughs and banter that flew between people who knew each other well had never come easily to him. He supposed that was what happened when you were banished from your kingdom and spent your teenage years chasing down the Avatar. Instead he walked over the large windows. They stretched almost from the floor to the ceiling, but each had a light curtain that could be drawn over it for privacy or to keep the midday heat out.

“Do you like the view?” he asked. “My mother has restored the gardens to their former glory. She says they always were her favourite part of the palace.”

Katara joined him at the window.  
“It’s lovely,” she said. “It’s funny, until I started travelling with Aang, I’d never seen gardens, or experienced green like you get in the other nations. My idea of green was the seaweed we’d cook into our cakes! Although there is always the Spirit Lights on certain nights. I thought I’d never get used to all the colour in the world that you could touch.”

She sighed and rested her forearms on the windowsill. “But since moving back and not travelling as much any more I realise that I miss it. As beautiful as the South Pole is, there’s just something about nature blooming so effortlessly that I enjoy.”

Zuko looked down at her, her hair loose around her shoulders and wondered how she coped. Everyone had been looking forward to the end of the war, but war had been people’s lives for so long that at time, the absence of it left a strange sort of hole in people’s lives. It wasn’t that they missed it, more like they weren’t sure what life without it should look like any more. Katara had spent many of the last ten years travelling. It couldn’t have been easy to suddenly stop it all and stay in one place for years at a time.

“How is life there?” he asked. “I don’t know how you stand the cold.”

Katara laughed. “No, you hated it, didn’t you?”

Zuko had visited once, many years ago now, and had spent half the time with fire in his hands, staving off the bitter chill that cut you to your core if you weren’t used to it. Even with his fire bender core temperature he hadn’t become used to it.

“I’ve got a different type of fire in my veins,” Katara explained simply. “Life is good down there. There are new water benders being born every year, and eventually one of them will be the new Avatar…” 

Zuko placed a hand on her shoulder as she tapered off. No one wanted to dwell on that because the loss of Aang was too much to think about.

“Not for a long time yet Katara,” he said, not unkindly. She placed her hand on top of his to give it a grateful squeeze and Zuko felt something surge in his stomach, not unfamiliar to the feeling he’d had just a few hours earlier, waiting for her to emerge from her carriage. But then she took her hand back, and the feeling was gone as quickly as it had come.

Pulling herself together Katara turned to face Zuko.  
“Anyway, what was it you wanted? I assume you didn’t come just to point out the view I’d already seen?”

Zuko started, “No, I, uh.” Clearing his throat he started again. “I was wondering if you wanted to train with me tomorrow morning? Before breakfast.”

“Train with you?”

“Yeah, you know. A bit of practice and sparring. I just thought, you know, as you’re here. You’re a Master water bender and it’s not often I get an opportunity for that sort of challenge, and well, I just thought it might be fun.”

Katara placed her hand on her chin, pondering the question. “Hmmm… Spending the hour before breakfast kicking the Firelord’s ass?” And she broke into a wicked grin. “How could I say no?!”

With Katara’s answer relief rushed through Zuko. He hadn’t even realised that he had been holding his breath until she answered in the positive. Unable to stop the smile appearing on his face he chuckled.

“Brave words Katara. Aren’t you afraid of insulting your host?”

“I’ve done it before, and I’ll do it again!” replied Katara, and Zuko wasn’t entirely sure if she was referring to kicking his ass, or insulting him. Nor did he really want to know.

“I guess we’ll find out tomorrow then,” and he headed to the door. “I’ll send a servant to show you the way.”

Katara muttered something behind him that he didn’t quite catch, but sounded vaguely like more trash talk.

“Pardon?”

“Oh nothing Zuko,” she said brightly. “I’ll see you at the feast.”

Zuko eyed her suspiciously. “Yeah, see you there.”

As the door of Katara’s chambers closed behind him Zuko took a moment to figure out that emotion was swirling up through him. After a while he placed it. It was joy.  
It was with that knowledge that he made his way to his own chambers to get ready for that night’s feast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any sentences/parts you really loved? Let me know what they were!


	2. ZUKO

The Grand Hall was beautifully lit by candles all around the room and gentle music from a small band floated out, wrapping up the murmurs of conversations into a melodic hum of a good time. Zuko had been there to welcome people as they arrived after the gong announcing the welcome feast was to begin sounded.  
Zuko had remained in the robes he had been wearing earlier, but removed the large shoulder pads. They were heavy and cumbersome, and frankly Zuko didn’t like them. He’d also dispensed of the cape which, in his opinion, was too formal for a dinner.  
The guest filled in either in pairs or small groups probably having met each other on the way from their chambers. When Katara walked in, it was like Zuko was seeing her for the first time.

In the few short hours since Zuko had seen her Katara had transformed herself. She’d put her hair up into a complicated up-do and it was studded with jewels that caught the light and shone like crystals of ice. Her arms were bare and she wore a stunning light green dress, the bodice of which was silken while the skirt hung down in pleats. It shifted so effortlessly as she moved that Zuko was half convinced Aang had managed to teach her how to air bend. More than one head turned to look at her as she walked through the door.

Uncle Iroh elbowed Zuko in the ribs.  
“You had better pick your royal jaw off the floor before someone sees you nephew.”

Zuko started. “What? I wasn’t! I mean - Uncle!” He fixed his Uncle with an angry glare, but Iroh simply chuckled.

“She is very beautiful. But I think it is her strong sense of self that shines the brightest.”

Zuko took another look at Katara and agreed with him. “It always was.”

Katara approached the two of them with a smile on her face.  
“General Iroh, it’s so good to see you again. You are looking fantastic tonight.”

“It’s the Earth Nation food.” Iroh chucked and placed a hand on his large belly. “I eat too much and exercise too little. No need to call me General anymore Katara. I am long retired.”

Katara gave him a fond smile. “You’ll always be a general to me Iroh.” She turned to Zuko. “The hall looks lovely.”

“So do you!” blurted out the Fire Lord. “I mean, uh. Thank you, you look nice as well. Your hair,” he gestured trying to hide his awkwardness. “It’s different.”

“Well, I thought I’d do something a bit special for tonight.”

Zuko suddenly felt the need to extract himself from the situation. He could see his uncle pinning him with a look and wanted to get away before either of them said something Zuko would regret later.   
“Well, I’d better be checking on the other guests. Would be rude not to say hello.”

With out waiting for a response he made a beeline straight for Li, the mayor of Republic City leaving his uncle and a slightly bemused Katara behind him.

Servants passed through the hall with platters of appetisers, making sure everyone had something to eat before the main meal. As was traditional in the Fire Nation, most of the food had spice added to it, although Zuko had requested that it be toned down a little for their guests. The food seemed to be going down well and Zuko had had some interesting conversations with guests who had joined himself and Li about recent technological advantages helping with food supply throughout remote regions. It was good to learn that the last ten years of work was yielding positive results across all five nations.  
The sentence that Li had been about to start died on his lips as his gaze travelled over Zuko’s shoulder. Zuko turned to see what the cause of the interruption was and was greeted with the sight of his mother.  
“I’m so sorry to interrupt,” Ursa spoke softly with a winning smile. “May I be permitted to steal my son? He has yet to fulfil a promise he made me weeks ago.”

All members of the small group bowed respectfully to Ursa.  
“Of course,” replied Kira, a Earth Nation representative. “Let it not be said we kept the Firelord from his duties.”

Zuko returned the bows and turned to walk beside his mother.  
Zuko kept his voice low, so as not to be overheard by other guests. He couldn’t think of what promise she was referring to, but it felt like he was being admonished for something. “Mother, what are you-?”

“You promised to introduce to me to Katara. If you leave it any longer we’ll bump into one another.”

“Ah, right. Sorry.” Truth be told, Zuko had temporarily forgotten that he had to introduce Katara and Ursa. But his mother was right. He had promised and now was the perfect time. Hadn’t Katara already said how much she was looking forward to meeting Ursa?  
Zuko cast his gaze around the room for Katara and his eyes found her straight away. She was standing talking to Kiyi, the current head of the Fire Nation Navy. Ever perceptive, Kiyi spotted Zuko and Ursa making their way towards them before Katara did and drew the conversation to a natural close. She bowed to Katara as they approached and took her leave, correctly guessing that the coming conversation wasn’t one she should be a part of.

By this stage, Katara had turned to see Zuko and Ursa arrive and bowed back to Kiyi.  
“I look forward to talking to you more over the coming week,” she said as the Navy general retreated.

She simply gave Katara a nod of agreement before striking up conversation with Iroh a few meters away, sidestepping a servant whilst also grabbing some chilli squid off the platter they were holding.

Zuko took a breath as he faced Katara. It suddenly occurred to him that the two women whom had positively influenced him the most throughout his life were about to meet and now the moment was right here, in front of him, he was inexplicably nervous.

“Katara, I’d like you to meet my mother, Ursa,” he said gesturing with his left hand. “Mother, this is Katara, of the Southern Water Tribe.”

“It’s an honour to meet you Lady Ursa,” said Katara bowing deeply with the fire nation hand position added as an extra sign of respect.

Ursa returned the gesture and the sentiment.  
“I must say Katara, I have been looking forward to meeting you. Zuko and Iroh speak so highly of you. What you all went through together to end the war- You are one remarkable woman.”

Katara gave a slight shake of her head. “It was Aang and Zuko who ended the war. I did very little.”

“Nonsense. Katara, you saved my son.” Ursa clasped Katara’s hands between her own, the softness of Katara’s contrasting against Ursa’s more weathered ones. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you.”

Katara blushed at Ursa’s words, and internally Zuko did too. It had never occurred to him that his mother would view Katara in that light although he supposed he should have considered it.

“Anyone would have done the same,” said Katara.

Zukko shook his head but didn’t get a chance to say anything because Ursa continued on the conversation releasing Katara from her grasp as she did so.

“I hope you will agree to have tea with me later in the week. You’re the only part of the Gaang that I haven’t met you know. I’ve been looking forward to getting to know you.”

Katara started at the sentence and at first Zuko thought it was the idea of spending time with his mother that had rattled her but Katara soon put his fears to rest.

“What, even Toph?” she asked incredulously.

Zuko laughed at that. “She turns up regularly to demand we go on a life-changing trip together. She’s still never quite forgiven me for not doing that with her.”

“She is very tenacious,” agreed Ursa.

“Oh… I hadn’t realised,” said Katara. “I guess I’m away from the action at the South Pole.” She turned her gaze downward in a way the Zuko recognised as her way of reacting to news she didn’t want to hear. He was seized by the sudden urge to embrace and comfort her.

“But you’re doing such important work there. You’re training a new generation of water benders, aren’t you?” asked Ursa.

Katara brightened. “Oh yes! The eldest is just over nine now, and there’s more being born every year. To start with I was concerned about the task and then Sokka reminded me that if I can teach Aang how to bend, then anyone else would be easy.”

“Did he have trouble mastering the element?”

“Oh no,” said Katara waving her hands frantically. “He took to it straight away. It was earth bending he really struggled with. No, the issue was trying to get him to concentrate and take things seriously!” She turned to Zuko. “Do you remember that time when-”

What particular memory Katara was about to recall was interrupted by a horn being blown somewhere outside the room. The guests all looked up from their conversations, some startled, some just curious.

Zuko clapped his hands together and, stepping back from Katara and his mother, addressed the whole room.

“That is the signal that the main course is ready. Please, come and sit while we eat.”

He gestured to the long table in the centre of the room. It was simply laid out, although that didn’t mean the decorations were any less beautiful. In order to ensure everyone was treated equally and prevent any diplomatic disasters around seating arrangements Zuko had ordered place cards with guests names be placed in the appropriate places. This also gave Zuko the advantage of choosing who sat beside him and was his company each night. Tonight it was the turn of King Kuei and Chief Arnook. Zuko had chosen them as, to be honest, he wanted sitting with King Kuei to be over as soon as possible, and he didn’t think it was appropriate not to afford the leader of the Northern Water tribe what would be considered a sign of great respect on the first night of this week. He also hoped that Chief Arnook’s calm would help balance out King Kuei’s… enthusiasm.

Zuko offered out his arm to his mother and his uncle swept in to offer his to Katara. Katara started at his sudden arrival but took his arm gratefully and was soon laughing at whatever he’d decided to talk about. He’d placed the two of them beside each other tonight, he knew how fond the two of them were of one another. After escorting Ursa to her seat Zuko took his at the top of the table. Inclining his head at his guests he simply invited them to begin eating as the food arrived and to enjoy their meal. Then, flipping his long sleeves away from his hand he sat and began to converse with the two men on either side of him.

Zuko managed to get through the dinner without causing a major national incident. It had been a concern of his. Since discovering that a war had been hidden from his King Kuei was determined to become a decisive ruler. It was this determination which had almost dragged Zuko back into the war just a year after it ended. Thankfully everything had worked out and as a result the United Republic of Nations had been formed. King Kuei had generously donated large amounts of Earth Kingdom land to the creation of the new nation, but Zuko was still on his guard around him, careful that the wrong word at the wrong time might be misinterpreted as an insult and not just as a result of his inability to read social cues in the way others could. Although he was now much better than he used to be.

Meanwhile his relationship with Chief Arnook had never resulted in any incidents, but Zuko was painfully aware every time that he spoke to him that he had lost his daughter as a direct result of the Fire Nation’s attempt to wipe out water benders entirely. Although Zuko hadn’t been involved in that invasion he still felt the weight of it. Uncle Iroh told him that made him a good leader, empathetic, and Zuko had no evidence that Chief Arnook blamed him, but he was still wary of hitting the wrong tone nonetheless.

However soon desert was cleared away, and conversations were drawing to a close. Zuko gestured a servant over and whispered something in her ear. The woman gave a quick bow and set off down the table. Both Chief Arnook and King Kuei thanked him for the company and said good night. His mother left her seat and approached him.  
“I’m so proud of you Zuko. It’s been a wonderful day. Everyone seems impressed with your hospitality.”

Zuko exhaled a heavy breath. “I’m glad.”

“Goodnight Zuko.” Ursa kissed him gently on his cheek and left the hall.

Soon almost all the guests had taken their leave. Zuko watched as his uncle gestured to the doors while talking to Katara and gave a slight shake of her head. She rose at the same time as Iroh and the pair bowed softly to one another. As Iroh made his way towards the exit Katara caught Zuko’s eye with a questioning look on her face, probably to do with the fact he had asked the servant to request she be the last one to leave the hall. She started making her way slowly towards the exit herself and Zuko rose too. His mother was right, it had been a good day. He said as much to the servants that remained in the hall, they had done the Fire Nation proud, as he knew they would.  
As he passed out of the hall after his friend the doors swung shut behind him and he heard the unmistakable noises of plates and cutlery being cleared away.

With a few long strides Zuko caught up with Katara and they walked along peacefully for a few moments before Katara broke the silence.  
“Okay Zuko. I’ll bite. What warrants a secret message in the middle of a state banquet? Want to challenge me to a midnight duel?”

“I actually have something to show you,” said Zuko with a soft, self-satisfied smile on his face, the kind that showed he knew Katara would love what he was about to show her but didn’t want to spoil the surprise by telling her right away. “Follow me.”

Zuko led Katara through the grand halls of the Fire Palace. Some of them were familiar to her, like walls from a dream, her memories from all those years ago during the war and the immediate aftermath, but soon they passed out of those to unfamiliar corridors. All of Katara’s questions about where they were going went unanswered. Eventually they reached a small stone staircase and Zuko lit a small flame held gently on his hand to light the way.

“Zuko, should I be concerned you seem to leading me to a dungeon?” joked Katara.

Zuko turned on the stairs to check she was teasing him. As he turned the light from his flame caught her features and he was struck abruptly by how beautiful she was. He turned back down before she could catch the blush he felt sure was forming on his face at the random thought.  
“Just a bit farther, I promise.”

True to his word less than a minute later the two of them emerged into a vast library, shelves towering the whole way to the ceiling and packed to the rafters with old scrolls.  
From the intake of breath behind him Zuko knew that whatever Katara had expected, it wasn’t this. But the room itself wasn’t what he wanted to show his friend. He pointed over to a narrow table tucked into a nook.

“You might enjoy what’s over there.”

Katara eyed him warily as she stepped past him and over to the table. On it there were about 20 scrolls laid out in a small pile. The edges were old and cracked, the parchment browned by time.  
Katara gently lifted one and began to unfurl it between her hands.

“I found them a few months ago,” explained Zuko as Katara took the contents in. “They’re from the early days of the war.”

Katara turned to face Zuko, wonderment on her face. “Zuko, these are… Are they all like this?”

Zukko nodded. “Yes. All the details the Fire Nation collected about Southern Style water bending.”

Tears formed at the side of Katara’s eyes as she threw herself into Zuzo’s arms with gratitude before returning to the table just as quickly.

“Zuko, thank you so much! This is incredible!” Her fingers speedily yet carefully opened up another scroll, and then another. “I can’t believe this! I thought this part of our culture had been lost decades ago. To see it here… I just…” She paused. “Words can’t describe what this means to me Zuko.”

Zuko smiled to himself. He knew. Just like he knew she would react like this, and he was glad he was able to give her this gift. He reached his arm past her and lit a candle for her. Katara hardly noticed she was so engrossed in reading all she could from the scrolls.

Zuko headed off to give Katara some privacy as she learnt about the history of her tribe. He turned at the bottom of the staircase to quietly wish her a good night but instead paused taking in the image of her. Lit by the flickering of a single candle her features were heightened and she was poured over the scrolls with an intensity that was hard to describe. It was a picture that Zuko carried with him back up through the corridors of the palace to his chambers where he let it fall away so he could concentrate on the paperwork that needed signed before he turned in for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any parts/sentences that you really loved? Let me know what they were!


	3. KATARA

The dawn light streamed in through the curtains of Katara’s room and she woke slowly, stretching her way into the new day. A lot had happened last night but she was looking forward to getting out into Zuko’s training yard this morning. It felt like an age since she’d last had a chance to stretch her muscles, the journey from the South Pole hadn’t exactly been short.

Not long after she had woken Katara opened the door to a servant not much younger than herself. The lady bowed and Katara returned it.

“Lord Zuko sent me to accompany you to the Practice Yard Lady Katara. Are you ready?”

“Sure am,” said Katara closing the door to her room behind her. “No need to call me ‘Lady’. Katara will do. We don’t have lords and ladies in the Southern Water Tribe.”

Katara caught the faint glimmer of surprise in the servant’s eyes, but she disguised it quickly and began to lead Katara down the corridor.

“What’s your name?” asked Katara, always liking to get to know those who would be around her.  
“Zula Lady- I mean, Katara.”

Katara glanced quickly at her but didn’t comment. If she had to guess, Katara would say that the young lady next to her was named after Azula. The age seemed about right. Katara wondered what it was like to be named after a disgraced member of the royal family who was now in jail for war crimes, albeit a psychiatric unit. She held her tongue though. To mention it would be extremely rude and possibly bring shame on on Zula. The Fire Nation had a strange relationship with their perceived honour, Katara would never understand it.

“Do you like working at the Palace Zula?” asked Katara.

Zula nodded. “It’s good work. I’ve been here for almost 6 years now. Things were difficult for my family after the war.” Zula clasped her hands together and kept her eyes on the ground. “Lord Zuko’s staff gave me a chance and when he discovered that people working here had never finished school he ensured part of our working day was finishing our education.”

“Did he now?” mused Katara. “That is good to hear.”

The two of them walked in silence for the rest of the walk, which didn’t take too long. Katara had been sure to keep a notice of the way they had come, and when Zula asked if she would need accompanied back to her room Katara was able to answer in the negative.

“Thank you for collecting me this morning Zula,” she added. “I hope I see you again over the next week.”

Zula smiled and gave a quick bow before disappearing off to her other duties.

After she had gone Katara pushed open the large wooden doors which were before her. They opened out onto a willow walkway all around a square of compacted earth which was clearly the training area. The walkway was covered by a sloping roof supported by columns and marked off from the training area by a low fence. Katara could see a few other doors around the edge so clearly the way she had come in wasn’t the only entrance.

Zuko was standing in the middle of the square dressed for combat in a pair of trousers tucked into his boots, and a sleeveless wraparound top. Both were dark red gilded in gold, but he bore no sign of royal insignia on his person. His topknot was pulled into a ponytail and Katara was impressed at how long it was. She wondered if he had even trimmed it since his return to the Fire Nation ten years ago.

“Morning Katara,” Zuko greeted her cheerfully as she descend the few steps to get on to his level. “How did you sleep?”

“Peacefully. I woke up just before Zula arrived at my door,” replied Katara as she stripped off her robe, revealing her lighter training outfit beneath.  
These days it consisted of a light bandeau top with wide straps capping her shoulders and matching 3/4 leggings. She kept her sandals on and although she had brought her flask of bending water with her this morning laid that down too, as there were large containers filled to the brim with water all around the training ground. “She seems very sweet. A credit to the Palace.”

“She’s smart, and hardworking. I don’t doubt she’ll have a management role within a few years more if she stays with us.”  
Zuko stretched his arms above his head.  
“Warm ups?”

“Warm ups.”

Katara and Zuko stood side by side, with a fair distance between them as they ran though their individual warm up routines. Katara felt her body responding to the exercises as she went through them. Her muscles warmed as she stretched through a series of slow flowing actions, each one designed to ensure that her waterbending was working to the best of her ability. She concentrated on herself, but was still aware of Zuko moving through his own warm ups next to her.  
After ten minutes or so she sensed Zuko draw to a close and she finished off her current set.

Zuko smiled at her. “You ready?”

“Sure thing.” Katara gave her arms a little shake and bounced on her toes. “You sure you this won’t cause an international incident?”

Zuko stepped back a few paces, giving himself plenty of space to move. “So long as you don’t kill me, I think we’ll be fine.”

“Deal.”

The two stood opposite one another, taking up their starting stances, Zuko’s solid and firm, fists clasped and forearms at right angles to his body. Katara’s was lighter, palms facing her opponent, fingers spread, her arms more reaching than Zuko’s.  
As Katara waited for the first move to come, she studied Zuko. He’d grown several inches in the past ten years and his shoulders had broadened. Muscular arms and the ease of his stance let her know that even though he might be Firelord now, he certainly hadn’t neglected his training. A thrill of anticipation went through her as she thought of the match they were about to have and the challenge it would present to her.

A slight movement from Zuko’s leg and Katara was on the move, whipping water from a nearby jar and throwing it up in front of her face. She rolled out and whipped the water towards him, who easily cut it in half with a line of fire from a fist.  
As Zuko shot a few fireballs at her she moved to the side, easily turning them to steam with a jet of water. The two of them continued like this for a few minutes, testing one another’s defences, getting used to the feel of the other again. _Zuko’s movements are more precise, less frantic than they have been before_ Katara thought to herself as she trapped his feet in ice, only to have him melt it a second later.  
Zuko spotted a gap in her defence and shot forward, a well aimed punch heading directly towards Katara. She just managed to lean out of the way in time, countering it by using her own arm to throw Zuko’s upwards and simultaneously sweeping her other arm upwards, creating a thin sheen of ice below his feet as she did so. Unable to counter due to his speed, Zuko’s feet followed his arm upwards and he landed flat on his back with an uncomfortable sounding smack.

  
“That move is new,” said Zuko from the ground as he rubbed his head. Katara looked down at him, a gleeful grin on her face.

“Maybe you shouldn’t have given me access to a whole bunch of secret waterbending scrolls the night before you were planning on sparing with me.”

Zuko took the hand she extended and helped him to his feet.  
“Touché” he replied. “Go again?”

Katara nodded and they resumed their stances opposite one another.

Forty five minutes later Katara and Zuko were out of breath and dripping with sweat. Katara bent and entire jar of water over herself to cool down before bending herself dry too.

“That was a good workout,” she remarked.

Zuko nodded his agreement using a towel he’d hung over the railings earlier to take the moisture off his face. “Go again tomorrow?”

Katara smiled. “You’re on.”

“So what’s the plan for today?”

“Well,” Zuko threw the towel over this shoulder and began to walk towards the doors. Katara followed him. “There’s a historic tour of the town and then lunch before returning to castle. If delegates want to. Obviously if people want to stay in town and explore more on their own they are very welcome to. Then dinner. Which will be a much less formal affair than last night.”

“Sounds good.”

By now they’d reached a break in the corridor which Katara had to turn left at to get back to her room. She assumed that the fact Zuko had paused her in his long strides meant that he was turning to the right to get to his chambers.

“So I’ll see you at breakfast?” said Katara before the pause became too drawn-out and awkward.

“Yeah.”

Katara turned to get changed for the day but was stopped at Zuko saying her name. He was standing at the junction of the corridor looking at her with a strange look in his eyes but a small smile on his face. 

“Thanks for this morning.”

Something in his demeanour made Katara pause, and she was overcome with a wave of affection of the man before her. “You’re welcome Zuko.”

* * *

The dining hall seemed to have most of the guests there by the time Katara arrived. She’d changed into a a blue shirt which reached the middle of her thighs and had a pair of navy shorts under that. Enough of her hair had been pulled back into a clasp to keep it out of her face but the rest of it fell in loose cascades down her back. With surprise she spotted Zuko already present too, his topknot pinned up now with his Firelord crown. He had changed into loose trousers and a tunic, the sleeves of which were embroidered with intricate patterns of gold.  
As Katara grabbed a place and took some fresh looking bread off the buffet which had been set up Chief Arnook waved her over to where there was a spare seat at his table. Once Katara had added some fruit and cured meats to her plate she headed over.

“Good morning!” she greeting Chief Arnook and the others brightly.  
Kira from the Earth Nation was there, and a Kyoshi warrior whom Katara recognised from Sokka and Suki’s wedding, but couldn’t remember the name of. As she sat down a servant placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her and Katara thanked her.

“Good morning,” Chief Arnook replied. “Although if the rumours are to be believed, you’ve been up for a while already.”

Katara laughed. “Why, what rumours have you been hearing?”

The Kyoshi warrior took a sip of her own tea and lowered her voice conspiratorially. _Kuvira!_ Katara suddenly thought, _that was her name!_ “Well, word is that you and the Firelord were having a secret training session this morning.”

Katara swallowed a piece of her breakfast and laughed at the ridiculous way the truth had managed to get twisted so quickly. “Zuko never asked me to keep it a secret. But yes, we were training this morning if you’re asking.”

“I’ve never seen Lord Zuko firebend,” said Kira leaning forward in her chair. “In fact, if I’m being honest, I haven’t seen much fire bending at all. My town is so deep into the Earth Nation that we rarely- well, you know. What is the Firelord’s bending like?”

Chief Arnook hadn’t said anything, but Katara felt him get a little bit more alert at the question. She glanced over to where Zuko was sitting eating his own breakfast and remembered her thoughts about him this morning.

“Precise,” she said. “And powerful.” It seemed like too few words to fully describe Zuko’s bending abilities. Despite the fact that she knew Azula had been a more powerful bender than her brother, before Aang took her bending ability away, Zuko had a power all of his own too. It was hard not to admire it, the way he had formed his skills over the course of his years.

“You’re telling me!” agreed Kuvira. “I once saw him take out at least 5 guys with a single blast. It was intimidating. Made me wonder why he’d thought he even needed bodyguards in the first place.”

“Oh, that’s right,” replied Katara, suddenly remembering. “You were part of the group of Kyoshi warriors Zuko asked to be his bodyguards!”  
In the early days after the war there had been plenty of attempts on Zuko’s life. Not everyone was happy he had been crowned Firelord, not everyone accepted the new direction he was trying to take the Fire Nation in. But as time went on, the threats had decreased and Zuko, along with requests from Aang, had decided that the Kyoshi warriors skills would be put to better use in other parts of the world.  
“Do you miss the palace?”

  
Kuvira thought about it. “Sometimes, but I like travelling too. Suki asks us to go to wherever we are needed the most, and sometimes Avatar Aang asks for our help too. But there was never a dull day at the Fire Palace, that’s for sure.”  
Katara nodded. She could imagine that to be true.  
Th conversation moved on around her while Katara concentrated on eating her breakfast. The workout had given her an appetite and the food was so good it would have practically been rude not to go up for seconds.

After a while it became obvious that everyone had finished their morning meal and Zuko stood up and announced to everyone what they would be doing that day. The request was that they meet at the entrance hall in thirty minutes ready for the tour of the Fire Nation capitol.  
Katara was impressed at how Zuko had learnt how to control a room with just a few words; his tone hit the right mark between familiarity but also keeping his authority. The guests all made noises of affirmation and filtered out of the room to get ready for the day. Katara however, having been pre-warned of the tour had no need to. She already had everything she needed with her.  
Instead of heading back to her room she made her way slowly to the welcome hall, admiring the architecture and artwork of the palace as she did so. As she did so her thoughts drifted to the South Pole and the water benders she had. Hopefully they were all keeping up with their training and coping with the exercises she had left for them. Sokka was there at the moment and had promised to keep an eye on them for her, but Katara didn’t know if that was a good thing or not. It was more than likely she’d come back to a group of waterbenders who made the stupidest puns and wanted to incorporate boomerangs into their arsenal of skills. Not that being able to use weapons other than water would be a bad thing, she mused, and made a mental note to discuss it with Aang the next time they had a chat.

Katara was so lost in her own thoughts that when she heard her name from behind her she started, breathing heavily with surprise when she saw it was just Ursa.

“Oh, sorry!” Ursa said. “I didn’t mean to startle you!”

“That’s okay,” said Katara. “I was just thinking about some things and not paying attention to my surroundings. Good morning Lady Ursa.”

“Good morning Katara, I trust you slept well.”

“Oh yes, the rooms here are very comfortable. Zuko tells me that the beautiful garden I can see from my room is of your handiwork.”

Ursa smiled at the compliment. “I do very little myself. The palace gardeners do most of the day-to-day maintenance, but I do find it restful when I do my planting and pottering.”

“Well I think they are lovely. Will you be joining us for the tour Lady?”

Ursa gave a short shake of her head. “Not today I’m afraid Katara, were you planning on exploring the town further yourself afterwards?”

Katara shrugged. “I hadn’t really thought about it yet honestly. Why are you asking?”

“Well,” replied Ursa. “I was wondering if you would like to join me for afternoon tea today. Of course if you feel you don’t have time, or would rather not, I completely understand. But I would like to spend a bit more time with you this week. You’re very special to Zuko.”

Katara felt heat rising through her body at that last comment. Obviously Katara and Zuko had a unique bond, the whole Gaang did with one another, but the way Ursa said it made it sound different somehow.

“I’d love to spend some time with you this afternoon Lady Ursa, it would be my pleasure,” replied Katara and she was telling the truth. Zuko had always spoken about his mother with such tenderness that Katara was genuinely excited to get to know her. When Zuko had written with the the news that he had found her and she’d agreed to come back and live at the Fire Palace with him Katara had been overjoyed for him. He’d spent so many years living with the pain of a missing mother, a pain that she knew all too well. And Zuko hadn’t even know what had happened to his. On the way back from confronting Yon Rha Zuko had confided in her that until the day of the eclipse he hadn’t even know if his mother still lived or not. Ozai had kept him completely in the dark. Ursa had disappeared from their lives entirely, it was like she had never even been there. Katara at least had the privilege of being able to grieve and work through her anger. Zuko never had that. She was glad Ursa was back in his life. He deserved it.

Ursa clapped her hands together at Katara’s answer. “Excellent! I shall let the staff know and get everything set up. Someone will show you the way when you get back. Have a lovely tour, the city is very beautiful at this time of year.”

* * *

Ursa was right, the city was stunning. As Katara and the rest of the guests were shown around the key areas of the city she marvelled at the buildings, how tall of them stretched and the gardens which hung down from people’s balconies. Their tour guide was an elderly man who was so physically fit that the group had trouble keeping up with him. He lead them around different areas of the city pointing out historic points of interest, from changes that Zuko had made, to buildings that had been in existence from before Aang was born. Between the different districts the guests were carried in palanquins supported by ostrich horses. Katara shared one with King Kuei and enjoyed herself, despite his frequent exclamations of admiration, and occasionally snorts of derision. He spoke to her about how the Southern Water Tribe was recovering. Tensions still existed after the Southern Reconstruction Project and Katara wasn’t entirely sure what to tell him. It was still difficult times for the Southern Water Tribe and many residents had had to leave to find work in other nations. Building larger building was difficult with so few skilled waterbenders, and the Southern Water Tribe was still struggling to fully trust the Northern Water Tribe. Katara settling for telling him that things were still difficult but improving and spoke about her success in training new waterbenders. They weren’t yet ready to begin learning how to heal with water, but in a few years she was hoping to start with them. Having Master Pakku there was a great help, but he was getting close to retirement age now and besides, Katara wanted the new Southern Waterbenders trained by a Southern waterbending master.  
King Kuei sympathised and said that if there was anything the Earth kingdom could do to help to just send an envoy to him. Katara was grateful for the offer, even if privately she wasn’t sure it was a good idea if the Earth Kingdom got involved in their affairs again. Still she mused, it was probably only because of her status as the person who had trained the Avatar how to waterbend which was even making him offer in the first place.

Eventually the tour was over and everyone was taken to lunch at a restaurant in the harbour district. It had been closed off for the group and they were seated on a part that was built out over the water. Katara’s heart sung at being so close to the water and while they were waiting for their food to arrive she couldn’t help but gently pull at it with her skills. She made droplets of it swirl and dance just above the surface not really thinking about what she was doing too much.

“That’s beautiful.”

The words made Katara start for the second time that day and she dropped the water back into the sea. The voice belonged to Kiyi, the head of the Fire Nation Navy she had been talking to the night before.

“I’ve never seen delicate waterbending like that before,” she continued. 

Katara blushed at the compliment and also partly feeling like she had been caught at something she shouldn’t be doing.  
“Thanks. It’s just basic stuff really.” Katara turned back to the table where Kiyi had sat down opposite her. “Did you enjoy the tour?”

“I did actually,” she replied. “I knew most of the military history stuff, but the cultural aspects were new to me. And of course, there’s always something new to learn, even about things you think you already know everything about.”

“That’s very true.”

At that point their food arrived and Katara and Kiyi passed a very pleasant meal time conversing and then shared transport back up to the Fire Palace together. Kiyi had no need to explore the city she said, besides, she had reports to read and reply to. Although she might be away from the fleet for the week, she certainly wasn’t on holiday!  
Katara had enjoyed getting to know her, she had a dry sense of humour that Sokka would like and she and Katara agreed on a lot of political issues. As they said good-bye at the steps of the Welcome Hall Katara was glad to think that she wouldn’t be stuck with no one to talk to this week. Kiyi would be a welcome addition to any conversation she was a part of.

True to Ursa’s word, as soon as Kiyi had taken her leave of Katara, a servant appeared from the shadows of the walls and informed Katara that Lady Ursa had sent him to show her the way to their meeting. Katara followed him through the halls, still wondering at the architecture and art that was displayed, while making idle small talk with him.  
Soon they had reached a small garden. Katara spotted a rug laid out beneath a tree next to a small pond which had a few turtleducks lazily swimming over the surface. The servant gestured Katara down some short willow steps and bowed, taking their leave.  
Ursa was standing beside the pond, hands in her sleeves, watching the turtleducks on their travels. She looked calm, as if this was a type of meditation for her. She glanced up as Katara approached her and the two ladies bowed to one another.

“I used to bring the children here to play,” Ursa said even though Katara hadn’t even asked. “It’s still special to me, even after everything has happened.”

Katara realised that Ursa wasn’t just about to share tea with her, she was letting her into a very private part of her life and Katara felt the weight of the moment, but she shouldered it with an easy grace.

“It’s beautiful,” Katara replied, and she meant it. The bushes were a verdant green and pockets of colours in the form of flowers (some Katara had never seen before) burst around the place. The pond was a clear blue, the flat surface disturbed by the occasional splash of a koi fish hidden beneath. More than anything a sense of peace radiated out from the whole place. It would be impossible to spend any time in this garden and feel angry for any length of time.

“I think so too,” said Ursa and gestured to the rug beneath the nearby tree. “I wasn’t sure of your favourite tea, so I had a selection brought. Iroh insisted that he be allowed to choose the flavours so if nothing is to your liking, you can blame him.”

“Oh I doubt very much that anything General Iroh chose is a bad choice,” said Katara settling herself crosslegged with her back to the pond.

Ursa settled herself opposite her, feet tucked neatly under her body, back straight. She looked every inch a noblewoman.

Katara decided on a white rose tea, while Ursa opted for the jasmine dragon blend. Once the leaves had been brewed Ursa poured the cups and both women sat for a few moments, savouring the smell and heat of the tea. This was as important as any conversation which went with it and Katara let the stillness of the garden wash over her as she did so.  
After a while they began to talk and Katara soon found that Ursa was easy to speak to. She had her own opinions of things but didn’t judge and always listened fully before responding with her own side of things.  
Their talk ranged across many things, the war to Katara’s home, Avatar Aang to the talk of founding a special city in the United Republic of Nations to act as a capital.  
Eventually the conversation turned more personal and as was inevitable, ended up at Zuko.

“It was torture not knowing what was happening to my children,” admitted Ursa. “I’d fled as a refugee to a remote part of the Earth Kingdom so news hardly ever reached us intact. Fact was mixed up with rumour and then wrapped around itself again for good measure. I’d heard stories of a banished prince but didn’t believe even he could be so cruel. Zuko told me later how he’d changed once I left. Became colder and more ruthless.”

Katara thought she saw the glimmer of tears forming in Ursa’s eyes, but then she blinked and they were gone.

“When Zuko walked into the village I lived in a few years ago I recognised him instantly, even with the scar, even though he’d grown into a man. I had always hoped that Zuko would understand why I had done what I did, but never dared to hope that he would forgive me. When he did-” Ursa looked up at the sky as if the clouds alone could take the truth of her words “-it was overwhelming. For him to have gone through so much and come out the other side with goodness in his heart… I’m so grateful.”

Katara thought about how Zuko had been when they’d first met. All anger and hard edges, hate burning deep in his chest. But when he’d joined the Gaang he’d been different. Still with a temper to match his firebending, but with a softness there too, and a willingness to understand each of them, to get to know them on their terms. He’d taken all of that and used it to grow into the type of leader the Fire Nation needed to take them through the defeat of a war they’d raged for a hundred years. Humble, but still with pride in his nation. Forgiving, but still firm enough to stand his ground when he needed. She thought about how throughout the tour Zuko had taken the time to spend a portion of it with each guest, how he was gracious to his citizens on the streets. She thought of how he smiled every time he caught her eye today and how he’d looked had made her heart sing.

“He’s an incredible person,” she said.

There was a pause as the two of them considered that sentiment. It meant different things to each of them, but that didn’t make it any less true.

“Did you enjoy your training session this morning?” asked Ursa over the rim of her tea cup.

“Oh yes!” Katara nodded. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had to stretch myself like that, it was very welcome. The training grounds are fantastic too. I really like how Zuko has made it so any type of bender would be able to train there.”

“Oh?” Ursa gave a slight raise of an eyebrow at Katara’s words.

“The earth ground, the massive water pitchers all around the edge. It’s great. I mean, it’s obviously primarily for firebenders. Understandably. It’s the Fire Nation Palace. But I like the thought.”

“Katara,” Ursa said. “Zuko only had those water pitchers put in when he received the official conformation you would be here for this week.”

Katara let out a soft ‘oh’ at Ursa’s words and quickly lowered her head to her teacup to mask the smile that was spreading across her features. Zuko had put them there for her. She wasn’t sure how to react to that but her body was spreading a heat from somewhere in her centre out towards her stomach, and Katara didn’t think it had anything to do with the mouthful of tea she had just swallowed.

Soon after that their time together drew to a natural close. Katara thanked Ursa for the time and the tea, and Ursa thanked her for the company and conversation.  
There was a servant waiting inside to show Katara back to her room but she dismissed him letting him know that she’d memorised the route on her way in. The servant bowed and retreated, but Katara could feel him shadowing her almost the whole way back. She didn’t mind, they probably would have been in trouble if she’d gotten herself in the maze of a palace.

When Katara returned to her room she was surprised to find the water bending scrolls from last night on the table with a short note written in large looping letters. It read: _They are for you to keep_.  
It didn’t have a signature. It didn’t need to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any parts/sentences you really loved? Let me know what they were!
> 
> What do people think of the length and formatting? This one is a bit longer that the other chapters, but I felt if I split it into two, they would be too short.  
> Is the formatting easy enough to read? Let me know if changing something would make it easier etc.
> 
> Edit: Changed the formatting after some helpful feedback


	4. ZUKO

Zuko stood in the training yard again, the day that had dawned promising to be another balmy day. That was good, he thought, as guests were being left mostly to their own devices today. There was to be a cultural celebration this evening, but the rest of the day was theirs to do with as they wished. As part of it though, Zuko had invited stall holders to set up at the Coronation Plaza and he hoped the guests would take the time to explore what was on offer, from food to artisanal crafts.

He lifted a hand in greeting as Katara appeared though the same door as yesterday. She’d already shrugged her robe off before she touched the dirt ground of the training grounds, a grin on her face, clearly ready for the session. Zuko smiled at that thought. He had to admit that several times yesterday he’d found himself daydreaming about today, about the heat and closeness of sparing, of how his body had felt alive yesterday morning in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Like yesterday they started with their respective warm-ups, but Zuko kept feeling his gaze dragging over to Katara who was moving as fluidly as water itself. Her whole body moved while she marked out defensive and offensive movements, arms and legs drawing invisible patterns all around her. It was mesmerising. Watching her, Zuko realised just how much she had changed over the last ten years. In his head, she was still the teenager she’d been when he’d gotten to know her but here he was, finally looking at her and he could see now just how untrue that was.

She’d grown several inches in the past decade and her outfit showed off her toned muscles, from her shoulders to the curve of her thighs. The puppy fat of early teenage years had fallen off her face and now her cheekbones outlined the curve of her features. Her whole outline was sleek but also gave off a sense of power that Zuko knew all too well was backed up by physical and mental ability. The intervening years may have made Katara better at politics but it was still an unwise move to cross her.

“Zuko?”

Zuko snapped out of his thoughts and realised he wasn’t moving himself any more.

“Teach me that.” The words were out of his mouth before he had a chance to think about them.

Katara raised an eyebrow. “What, teach you how to waterbend? Zuko, I don’t think that’s how it works.”

Zuko shook his head, partly to clear his thoughts and partly for the reasons you normally shake your head. “No, I mean, teach me your warm up.” Then added “Please.” as an afterthought.

“Hmm,” Katara cocked her head and considered him. Then she shrugged. “Okay, why not?”

Katara walked over and stood in front of Zuko. She regarded him with her piercing blue eyes and Zuko suddenly worried about what he’d gotten himself into.

“Okay,” she said, hand on hip, pointing the other at him. “Loosen your stance. You know waterbending is all about flow right? Turning offensive energy into defensive energy and vice versa.”

“Yes, that’s how Uncle Iroh worked out how to redirect lightening.”

“Right. So you need to lighten yourself for that.” She gave him a gentle shove on the chest. He didn’t move and she laughed taking up her stance. “Push me like I just did to you.”

Zuko did so, and Katara moved with his hand before returning to her original position.

“See? Like that.”

Zuko nodded and this time when Katara pushed him he copied her, allowing her energy to move him as opposed to absorbing it like he usually would.

Katara nodded. “Good. Remember that as we go through this. Just follow along with me.”

And then she was moving again, arms flowing and feet moving. Zuko thought he was keeping up pretty well until she spun around in a circle, drawing her arms low and high as she did so. Zuko unceremoniously tripped over his own feet causing Katara to laugh again.

“You did that on purpose,” he huffed.

“I did not! Look,” she demonstrated the move slowly for him to follow. Zuko thought he did it okay that time, but when he looked at Katara her arms were crossed and her lips pursed.

“That was better!”

“But still not very good. Let’s break it down.”

Katara started with the feet, left crossed over right as the body rotated, bending the knees and then spinning on the left foot until she was facing the way you started. Once Zuko had the feet correct to Katara’s satisfaction they moved onto the arms; scooping them down to their feet, crossing them in front of the body on their way up, and opening them above the head before coming back down. Zuko thought the arms were easier than the feet, but he had to admit she was a pretty good teacher.

“Okay, let me see,” said Katara when they’d run though it a couple of times.

Zuko demonstrated for her, feeling somewhat like a small child on display at an adult party, but when he finished Katara was nodding.

“Not bad,” she said. “But your stance at the end still isn’t right.”

Zuko groaned.

“Hey, you asked for this!” snapped Katara, but not in an angry way. “I won’t let it be said I taught sloppy forms.”

She was right, Zuko had asked for it, but he didn’t think it would be so difficult.

“Right.” Katara was suddenly in his personal space. Her knee was on the inside of his knee and she was pushing it out, while her hands were on his hips, the downward pressure making him bend his knees more. He could feel her breath on his collarbone and Zuko realised it was raising goosebumps and that her hair smelt floral with the tiniest trace of sea salt.

Then she stepped away leaving Zuko in whatever position she had manhandled him into.

“That’s better,” she said and Zuko looked down at his body.

“Okay…” He willed his muscles to memorise the position they were in, and when he preformed the spin this time attempted to find it again. Clearly he got it mostly right because this time when he looked at Katara there was a faint smile around her eyes which made him smile.

“Don’t look so pleased with yourself Firelord,” she quipped. “It’s not perfect, but it will do.”

They moved through the entire set again, Zuko managing not to trip over his own feet this time. Towards the end of it, he genuinely felt his movements easing and becoming more flowing. There was something relaxing about it; firebending required tight control at all times. Although he thought, if he was actually moving water with these movements he might not find it so relaxing.

“That was good Zuko,” praised Katara when they were done. “Although I have to say, it’s a bit strange to see you move like a waterbender. Fluidity isn’t something I usually associate with you.”

“Hey!” protested Zuko. “I can be fluid!”

At that Katara did let out a genuine laugh. “You’re as stubborn as a gemsbok bull and everybody knows it Zuko.”

“What, like you’re any better?” Zuko countered.

Katara put her hands on her hips. “You wanna flight about this?”

“You know what Katara?” asked Zuko, taking up his sparing stance. “I think I do.”

Katara grinned. “Good, because I’ve been studying those scrolls and need someone to try the moves out on.”

And then there were flames and water flying with two bodies moving between them, an intricate dance between two friends on the training ground.

* * *

When breakfast was over, and Zuko had explained to his guests that dinner would be earlier than usual today to allow time for the evenings entertainment but that there would be stalls available for browsing all day, he retired to his office to do some paperwork. There were supply routes that needed confirmed, villages that were struggling, and public events to plan. Although he needed to ensure this week was a success, he also couldn’t neglect his duties as ruler of a nation.

Sometime after lunch there was a rap on his door.

“Enter,” he said and a servant came into the room with a bow and a plate of chili quid and rice. Zuko looked up from his notes, his stomach rumbling as he spotted the food.

“Oh Zula! Thank you.” He reached out a hand and took the food from her.

Zula bowed again. “Lady Ursa sent me up Lord Zuko. She said you had probably forgotten to eat again.”

“She was right,” Zuko said with a wry smile. “Thank you.”

Zula bowed and retreated from the room but right before she left Zuko stopped her.

“Oh, by the way Zula,” he said. “Thank you very much for showing Katara to the training ground yesterday.”

“It was my pleasure Lord Zuko.”

“You made a good impression on her, she spoke highly of you.”

Zula blushed at the compliment. “I was only doing my job Lord Zuko.”

“And you?” asked Zuko. “What impression did Katara leave on you?”

“Oh.” Zula blinked rapidly at the question. “She was very polite. And seemed genuinely interested in me. She was… kind,” Zula finished.

“Yes,” said Zuko. “She is that…” His voice drifted off as his gaze slipped from Zula into the middle distance, lost in thought. A second later he jolted back to himself and dismissed Zula with a quick word.

As he turned back to his work he wondered what Katara was doing and if she was enjoying herself.

* * *

The door to Zuko’s study swung open with gusto and he looked up with a scowl on his face, ready to snap at whoever was disturbing him without knocking. His words died on his lips when he saw who it was, but the scowl remained.

“Uncle, hello,” he said as a way of greeting.

“Prince Zuko! You cannot stay locked away in your office all day!” Iroh said walking up to Zuko’s desk, a smile on his face.

The use of the pet name took the scowl from Zuko’s face, but he still didn’t smile.

“You’re the one who wanted me to be Firelord, Uncle Iroh. I have work to do.”

Iroh came around to Zuko’s side of his desk and looked at the paperwork spread out before him, maps and budgets, and dear knows what else.

“Zuko, you have been working all morning while you have guests at the Palace. Is spending time with them not also work?”

Zuko moved a piece of parchment from beside Iroh’s hand which was in danger of being smudged and sighed.

“Yes, but it’s a different type of work.”

“Nephew,” said Iroh placing a gentle hand on Zuko’s shoulder as he spoke. “Do not be so busy worrying about the sunset tomorrow that you don’t enjoy today’s.”

That did make Zuko smile. “You really do have a saying for every occasion, don’t you Uncle?”

Iroh just laughed as a way of answering, his hand gently resting on his stomach, and the sound warmed Zuko. It was nice to hear his Uncle laugh. He missed him when he was away in Ba Sing Se.

“Come on, you’ve just enough time to look around the stalls before the vendors start packing up for the day. I’m sure they would appreciate the honour of the Firelord looking at their wares.”

Zuko stood. “We worry too much about honour in our nation. But you’re right, as usual. Come on then, this was your idea so you’d better keep me company.”

Iroh beamed at his nephew and the two of them made their way out of the palace and into the afternoon sun together chatting easily about things of little consequence.

* * *

The coronation grounds were a riot of stalls, colour, and people and when Zuko saw it all he was very glad that Iroh had dragged him out of his office and into this. He was right, it would have been a shame if he had missed it.

There was a pleasant hum of noise rising up from the grounds before him. Amongst the calls and shouts of vendors he could detect the pitch of children laughing and shouting at one another, and drifting on the wind was the smell of spices and herbs, making his mouth water. The chilli squid seemed like a long time ago.

Zuko and Iroh descended the steps from the palace to the grounds, the two of them giving nods to the people they passed, all of whom bowed to the pair of them without fail. Zuko was used to the reverence showed to him as a member of the royal family. He’d experienced it his whole life. What was new to him in the last ten years was the lack of internal shame that came with it. Growing up he’d never felt like he was good enough for his father, and that projected onto feeling like he was an unworthy prince. Since the end of the war the work he’d put in to rebuild the Fire Nation into one less obsessed with all the things his grandfather and father had instilled in everyone had made him feel he was finally living up to the awe and respect in the eyes of his citizens.

Spotting a stall which he knew his uncle would appreciate, Zuko nudged him in the ribs.

“Look at those beautiful Pai-sho pieces Uncle.”

Iroh’s eyes lit up as he glanced over to where Zuko was gesturing, and he rushed over. It wasn’t long before he had engaged the vendor in conversation about how he managed to get such detail onto such small pieces.

Zuko smiled as he looked over the wares himself, but not having much interest in the game or the other game pieces the merchant was selling he soon settled into standing beside him Uncle watching the world pass by.

Families passed by, teenagers in groups and couples, adults enjoying themselves. Zuko hadn’t realised that today would turn into such an event for the whole town but, he thought to himself, he should have expected it. It wasn’t often parts of the palace were opened up to members of the public and it was unsurprising the citizens were taking the opportunity to get a good look at the place. He hoped the guards were being particularly alert. The last thing he needed today was a security breach.

As Zuko’s eyes moved the crowd they alighted on a familiar figure and braid.  
“Katara!” he called out, waving his arm in greeting in a very un-Firelordish way as Katara turned at the sound of his name.  
Zuko took a quick glance at his uncle who somehow now had a cup of tea in his hand, decided that he would be fine, and strode the few meters to where Katara had stopped and now stood smiling waiting for him.

Zuko felt his smile growing as he approached her.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” he asked, neither of them bothering to bow to the other despite the fact they were in public. Such formalities had always felt strange between the two of them, and after two days together they’d fallen back into relaxed way with one another.

Katara nodded. “Very much so. This is amazing, there’s so much talent here. And look!” She pulled out a figurine from her bag, displaying it proudly for Zuko to see. 

Zuko looked down at her hands and then laughed. It was a tiny Sokka, complete with boomerang. He picked it up to give it a closer inspection.

“Isn’t it amazing?” Katara continued. “Sokka would never forgive me if I saw it and didn’t buy it. Suki might never forgive me for actually buying it though.”

“It’s great,” said Zuko handing it back to Katara. As he did so his fingers brushed the palm of Katara’s hand and a warmth shot up his fingers and he snatched his hand away quickly. He glanced at Katara quickly but if she had noticed anything she wasn’t showing it, she was too busy taking another look at the tiny figure of her brother in her hands.

“They even got his hair right!”

Still chuckling to herself she stowed it safely back in her bag.

“So you made it out of your office then?” Katara asked, focusing her attention back to Zuko.

He nodded in response. “A wise man told me that it would be a good idea to get some fresh air. He was right. Although it’s now made me hungry. I didn’t have a big lunch.”

As if on queue Zuko’s stomach gave a rumble causing Katara to laugh again. Zuko smiled ruefully. The timing was impeccable.

“Oh, if you want something to eat I have just the stall for you!”

Katara grabbed him by the arm, linking it through hers and began dragging him off down the opposite row of traders stalls.

“Katara, wait, I-” Zuko glanced back at Iroh, not wanting to leave without telling him where he was going, but instead he saw his uncle looking directly at the pair of them, a smile on his face. Katara slowed at the start of his objections looking back over his shoulder.

“Never mind,” muttered Zuko, narrowing his eyes in suspicion at Iroh. Iroh simply waved and wandered off to explore the other stalls on the row.

If the Firelord walking arm in arm with the representative for the Southern Water Tribe caused anyone they were passing to stop and take a second look, or even whisper quietly to their neighbour Zuko didn’t notice it. He was busy listening to Katara wax lyrical about the flavoured rice balls at the stall she was taking him to. At the same him he was also noticing how nice it was to have her this close to him without either one of their elements on their fists. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so comfortable in someone else’s presence. Firelords weren’t afforded the luxury of being able to make close friends.

Once they’d reached the stall and ordered their rice balls Zuko had to admit it; Katara was right. They were really good. He complimented the vendor on their cooking skills and he bowed so low in response to the compliment Zuko genuinely thought that he might set his hair on fire from his grill.  
Zuko and Katara ate their food together as they wandered amongst the other stalls. There was everything from silk fans to furniture and Zuko admired it all, dishing out compliments like they were a currency. But like he said to Katara, they were the most valuable thing he could give, and he never lied. He meant every one.

Katara seemed happy to walk around with him and their conversation flowed easily. Without making a conscious decision to he spoke to her about things that he hadn’t yet articulated to anyone. She listened well, like she always had, and spoke words of encouragement and advice that he’d not yet thought of. For her part, although she spoke of the South Pole with love in her voice he thought he detected an undercurrent of loneliness there. Her nation was still struggling, there hadn’t been many members of the tribe her age there to start with and most of the few that there had been were moving to find work. 

At one point on impulse he briefly grabbed her hand to give it a quick comforting squeeze. To his surprise she’d squeezed back before changing the subject to the rumours of sky bison being spotted near the Eastern Air Temple.

All too soon for Zuko the sun began to dip lower in the sky, the crowds thinned and vendors started packing up their wares. It was almost time for dinner and Zuko knew that the entertainment for that night would already be setting up the stage in the Throne Room. This week seemed like the perfect time to demonstrate the aspects of Fire Nation culture which didn’t revolve around imperialism, Zuko was looking forward to this evening more than anything else this week.

Katara glanced about them as they made their way back to the Palace together although Zuko had no idea what she was looking for.

“Oh, there he is!” she said suddenly pointing. Zuko followed her finger to spot his Uncle laden with shopping also making his way back to the Palace. He sighed.

“I suppose we’d better go and help him.”

They quickly caught up with him and Zuko lifted a wall hanging off Iroh’s shoulder before he had a chance to protest.

“Uncle, what is all this stuff?” he asked. “Don’t you have enough things?”

Iroh waved his hand dismissively. “It’s for The Jasmine Dragon! Now I will be able to proudly have part of one home in the other.”

“That’s a lovely sentiment General Iroh,” said Katara as she took on of the many bags he was carrying.

“Oh thank you Katara. Yes, I think so too. You understand about keeping symbols of those you love close to you.”

Katara touched the necklace around her throat. “I do.”

Once they arrived back into the main halls of the Palace servants swooped in to relive the three of them of their burdens. Iroh had to admit that everything was going to his rooms and the three of them watched as his new possessions were carted swiftly away.

As the servants disappeared from view Katara turned to the two royals and took her leave, begging the need to get ready for dinner and the show afterwards. She gave Zuko a brief squeeze on his arm as she said goodbye and bowed quickly to Iroh.

Zuko’s eyes followed her down the corridor for a few moments before Iroh broke his concentration.

“You seem to have had a nice afternoon with Katara. I told you that getting out of your office would be good for you.”

Zuko groaned and threw up his hands in mock exasperation. “Alright, you were right! I had a lovely afternoon, and everyone appreciated the Firelord being out and about looking at their wares.”

“And you had a good time talking to Katara,” added Iroh.

Zuko looked at his uncle and began the walk back to his own chambers. He needed to get ready for dinner too.

“Yes, I had a nice time with Katara. I always do.”

“You and her have a unique bond nephew. It’s nice to see the two of you in each others company again after so long,” replied Iroh, easily keeping pace with Zuko’s long strides.

“Of course,” said Zuko. “I have a special bond with all of the Gaang. They were my first friends.”

Iroh pulled gently at his beard with one of his hands. “Yes, but you and Katara are bonded by more than that. You both have shared experiences that few others can understand. Of loss and love.”

Zuko’s stomach clenched at the truth of Iroh’s words. “Uncle, what are you trying to say?” Zuko felt like there was a riddle in there that Iroh wanted him to solve, but he hadn’t said anything that Zuko didn’t already know.

“Oh nothing,” Iroh said dismissively. “Just the ramblings of an old man. Say, are there going to be any pretty girls at this show tonight?” He pulled a hopeful seductive face at Zuko which made him grimace.

“Ugh, Uncle! Stop that!”

“What?!”

The teasing from Iroh continued the whole way back to Zuko’s chambers, who made a detour via his office, just to get away from him a little bit sooner.

* * *

The main conversation at dinner was full of praise at the market all the guests had attended that day and anticipation of the cultural display that was waiting for them after the meal was over. Zuko found the conversation pleasant and didn’t even mind being shown some of the good which those sitting next to him had bought that day. In fact, one of the pieces was an interesting little box, which required moving pieces in a particular pattern to open it. It was extremely cleverly designed and Zuko admired the craftsmanship required to create it.

There was no drawn-out ending to dinner that night. Once the final plates had been cleared away Zuko led everyone to the Throne Room.  
If anyone had been there the day before, they wouldn’t recognise it tonight. A stage had been laid out over the platform which Zuko usually sat in when receiving guests and in front of it chairs had been raised up, all cleverly arranged so that no matter where one was sitting, the view of the stage was perfect. Zuko beamed when he saw it, the earth benders he had hired for the occasion had done an even better job that he imagined.

There was a bustle of movement and noise as everyone found a seat and made themselves comfortable. Ursa sat beside Zuko, as was appropriate, but Iroh who somehow always seemed to have more leeway from royal protocol stationed himself further back, next to Kuvira.  
Glancing around to check that everyone was comfortable he noticed that Katara was directly in his eye-line with a short look to the side. She caught his eye as he did so and gave him a small smile and wave. She was sitting with Kiyi which surprised Zuko. He thought she would be spending a lot of time with Chief Arknook, but perhaps tensions were higher between the two tribes than he thought. He made a mental note to speak to Aang and Sokka about it the next chance he got.

There was no time for any thought past that though as a short plump lady had appeared centre stage.

“Welcome Lord Zuko, royals, and most honoured guests!” she said. Her voice was loud and carried, the well practiced tone of someone who spent most of their life on stage. “Tonight we have a special celebration of Fire Nation culture for you. We have many different skills on display for you tonight after searching the Nation for those the best at their crafts. Many of the performances you see here tonight were illegal ten years ago, but Lord Zuko has breathed new life into these arts and encouraged creativity throughout the land.”

Zuko blushed at the words. It was true he had repealed many of the draconian laws his father had put in place and encourage artistic freedom as a way of moving away from the rigid militarism the Fire Nation was known for. Aang had helped. He knew a lot about the Fire Nation from before the war including some knowledge that had been deliberately destroyed by Zuko’s grandfather. Inspired by some adventure Aang and the others had had when they first infiltrated the Fire Nation, Aang had suggested teaching the children first, and opening their minds before trying to get the adults to change

He’d had been right. As the children had changed and learnt new ways of expressing themselves their parents had softened and become more willing to accept the change that Zuko was bringing in and now things were less of an uphill struggle. Tonight was a celebration of all those things.

Meanwhile the announcer had moved on to announcing the first act, the Shu Jing Dance Troupe.

Set to traditional Fire Nation music the dancers exploded (not literally, Zuko had implemented a strict no-violence rule for the night) on to the stage. Their movements were bold and dynamic, the formations weaving and forming for seconds before uncurling and reforming themselves again into something completely different. The seats of the guests had been raised slightly above the stage and so everyone was in the perfect position to see the intricate shapes the dancers were making as they flowed across the stage.  
When the finished the applause was deafening, and Zuko clapped as hard as anyone else.

Next were a duo of glassworkers. At first this would seem like a strange thing to include in a cultural showcase, but the artists were firebenders and their ability to control the heat and size of flames meant that what they could create was far beyond the skill of typical glassworkers. Also, by using infusions of flower and other natural dyes their creations held vibrant colours which amazed the visitors.

After a few more demonstrations, include a duet that was so beautiful Ursa was reduced to tears the act Zuko was really looking forward to was announced.  
The lady whom had been coming onstage between each act appeared again and Zuko leaned forward in his seat as she spoke her introductions.

“And next up, a short play, created specially for tonight by the one, the only - Ember Island Players!”

Zuko could help it, he looked over at Katara who was doing the same to him with an astonished look on her face.

 _Are you being serious?_ she mouthed at him. Zuko simply put an innocent look on his face and shrugged his shoulders, but the whole effect was ruined by the massive grin on his face.  
Katara laughed and turned to the stage, Zuko mirroring her movements.

The play itself was actually quite good, Sokka would have enjoyed the special effects. Thankfully they had stayed away from trying to tell any true stories about people in the audience.  
Instead they acted out how the four nations received the ability to bend their elements, the Water Nations from the moon and ocean spirits, the Fire Nation from the dragons, the Earth Nation from the badgermoles and the Air Nomads from the flying bison.  
As expected the character were over the top and somewhat ridiculous, but bizarrely The Ember Island Players had managed to capture a feeling of harmony amongst the nations as they learnt about their respective elements and they finished with the arrival of the Avatar, uniting all of them together.

Although the short play was good, Zuko found himself glancing over at Katara every so often, enjoying her reactions to the play as much as anything else. A few times he caught her glancing at him and their eyes met before returning to the stage.

Once the Ember Island Players were finished there was another dance number from Shu Jing Dance Troupe and a lively drumming demonstration to finish.  
At the very end of it all of the performers came out onto the stage to thunderous applause and took their bow together. Looking around Zuko could tell that everyone, including the performers, had had a good night and he was so pleased. It had been nightmare trying to decide who to showcase at the cultural display but he could see now that he hadn’t made a wrong decision. The thought was a relief to him and suddenly he felt like he could sleep for a week, but the adrenaline of excitement was running through his veins so he doubted he’d get to sleep any time soon tonight.

All the guests began to filter out of the Throne Room and Zuko made sure he was at the door wishing everyone a good night. King Kuei was particularly vocal about his enjoyment and Chief Arnook remarked that it had been an excellent idea and he hoped to be able to return the favour next time Zuko visited the Northern Water Tribe.

Katara didn’t have many words for him, just a laugh and a shake of the head.  
“That was quite a surprise,” she said as she passed.  
Zuko grinned. “I told you, my mother loves them.”  
And then Katara was gone and Zuko was wishing goodnight to an Earth Kingdom representative.

* * *

The wind rustled the leaves of the plants as Zuko walked through the gardens. He let his fingers trail along the edge of the shrubs, focusing on their texture and smell. The scent in the gardens was always stronger at night, sweet perfume drifting across the gardens. Zuko didn’t know if it was a plant thing, of just the lack of light heightening his sense of smell but he didn’t waste time worrying over it, just enjoying it instead.  
Suddenly, ahead, there was a rustle that definitely was not caused by the wind.

“Oh hey Zuko,” said Katara as she appeared from behind a tree. “Couldn’t sleep either?”

“Yeah, I uh- Hi Katara. How did you get here?”

Katara shrugged. “I climbed out my window, we’re not that far from my room.”

“Oh yeah. I guess.” Truth was Zuko hadn’t been paying attention to where he was walking. He’d just come out to try and calm himself down enough to be able to sleep. Tonight had gone so well his thoughts were running riot and he’d knew before he’d even left the Throne Room that sleep would evade him for a while. Still, he’d tried. Gone to his chambers, drunk some nice calming tea and changed into his bedclothes. When that hadn’t worked he’d pulled on a robe and gone for a walk.

Katara sat down and glanced up at the sky. “It’s really peaceful out here.”

Zuko agreed and sat down next to her and looked up too. The stars were out and the moon large, it would be full the next night if Zuko remembered correctly. Although it was peaceful it was a natural peace. There were insects vibrating, wind in the leaves and if you listened closely the hoot of owls and other nocturnal birds could be heard.

“That was really something tonight Zuko. I really enjoyed it,” Katara said.

“Oh yeah?” chucked Zuko. “Even The Ember Island Players.”

Katara grinned back at him. “Hey, when they’re not vastly misrepresenting my character and acting out the death of those I love, they’re not half bad.”

“That play truly was something else,” Zuko replied. There was no need to specify what play he was talking about, Katara would know it wasn’t the one they saw tonight.

Katara laughed in agreement. “The Ember Island Players were right about one thing though; me not being The Avatar’s girl.”

Zuko turned his head ever so slightly in Katara’s direction. Aang and Katara had broken up around five years ago but he’d never spoken to anyone about it. It had always seemed like too strange of a thing to write about in a letter, and too awkward a conversation to have the first time he’d seen either of them since it happened. Katara and Aang had a relationship long before he’d had friendship with either of them, a part of him still thought of himself as an interloper in their lives, and if he’d asked anything they would have viewed it a meddling, or just plain being nosy. So he’d accepted it quietly, wondering about it idly on the odd rare occasion.  
There was something about Katara’s tone tonight though. Zuko felt it would be okay to ask. So he did.

“What happened with you two anyway?” he asked, in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone.

Katara sat back on her hands and looked up to the moon.

“When Sokka and I broke Aang out of that iceberg he imprinted on me like a baby turtleduck. We thought it was romantic love, and maybe it even was for a while.” Katara sighed.  
“But I got tired of being the one who always had to talk him out of the Avatar state, to push him in a more mature direction. I love Aang, but it’s not the kind of love that results in marriage and a happy family. We both realised it after a while although I was the first to I think. His Avatar duties masked his heartbreak, and I was so busy with things at the Southern Pole and training new water benders that before I knew it years had gone past, and I realised I hadn’t missed him like that at all.”

She looked over at Zuko and he did his best to arrange his features in a sympathetic way.

“What about you?”

Now it was Zuko’s turn to sigh. He didn’t need to ask for clarification on what Katara was asking about; it was Mai. They’d gone their separate ways before he’d even been Fire Lord for two years.

“We loved each other, but we were on different paths. Do you know she studies cultures all across the Five Nations now? It suits her. Being with me wouldn’t have given her the freedom from protocol that she needed to thrive. And I couldn’t set aside my duties. This,” and there Zuko gestured to the wider area “has always been my destiny.”

“Your destiny…” Katara exhaled as she rolled the words over the tongue. “I don’t think this was your destiny.”

Zuko’s brow furrowed at her words. “What do you mean?”

She looked at him, her gaze intense but her features soft. “You were raised by one of the cruelest people I’ve ever heard of, banished for a crime that wasn’t even a crime.” Her hand found his in the dark and Zuko felt time slow down at her words.  
“You could have let that consume you but you didn’t. Anyone else might have fled in that situation, rejected any claim they had to the throne and lived their whole life trying to forget the past and build a new life for themselves. You reached out, even when we rejected you, you kept trying to win our trust because you knew it was the right thing to do.”

“Uncle Iroh helped me.”

“He pointed you in the right direction, but you chose to walk down the path yourself. We choose our own destinies Zuko and you chose this.”  
She released his hand from hers and placed it back on the ground beside it.  
“I think you chose well.”

Zuko was speechless. He looked up at the moon willing his heart to stop hammering in his chest. He had no idea that Katara felt that way about him, about his life. He glanced down at their hands and slowly moved his little finger so that it was just touching Katara’s. She made no move to shift her hand away so Zuko left it like that. The small iota of pressure rooting him to her as surely as their shared history did.

“Katara, I-” Zuko stopped. What was he supposed to say to that? All his words seemed inadequate.  
“Thank you, I guess.” he settled with. It did nothing to convey the feeling her words had created in his chest.

Katara said nothing in reply, just smiled and kept her gaze on the stars.

Zuko didn’t know how long they sat like that, in companionable silence, their breathing in rhythm with one another, fingers touching gently, but eventually Katara stood up, wished him a goodnight and disappeared off behind him.  
As he heard the light scuff of feet on wood as she returned to her room he was suddenly achingly aware of the absence of her body next to his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for waiting for this everyone. As I'm going for longer chapters now, I'm adjusting my weekly publishing schedule for a fortnightly one. I want to make sure this story is told the way I want it to be and not rushed out. Hopefully the length of the chapters will make up for it!
> 
> Better formatting this week?


	5. KATARA

Meeting Zuko at the training grounds in the morning already felt like a comfortable habit for Katara. Despite the late night last night she had no trouble waking up to be at the training grounds on time, although as usual Zuko had beat her to it. She doubted he would ever be later than her, his timing had always been impeccable.

Katara shrugged her robe off and greeted Zuko with a smile.  
“So I was thinking,” she said, “that since I taught you one of my sets yesterday, you ought to teach me one of yours today.”

A look of shock passed across Zuko’s face before he nodded. “Okay, that seems fair.”

“No need to look so scared Zuko, I don’t bite.”

Zuko immediately put his hand to the back his head and rubbed it. “No no, it’s, it’s not that. It’s just that I don’t really teach people this sort of stuff.”

“Nonsense,” said Katara, waving her hand dismissively. “It’ll be fun, besides, you trained Aang. I promise I’m a better student than him.”

That caused Zuko to laugh. “That wouldn’t exactly be hard. Okay, let’s do a few of our own warm ups and then I’ll teach you a firebending set.”

Katara nodded. “Sounds good.”

After around 10 minutes Katara turned to Zuko. He was doing high kicked steps, his arms alternating in forward punches. As he caught her looking at him he became still, drawing his palms down to finish the set off.

“Okay,” he said stepping towards her. “So, waterbending is allow about fluidity, right? Well, firebending is about many things, but a lot of it focuses around power. Fire is a powerful element, able to harm or bring life. To control it, you must be a powerful as a flames you bend. None of this wishy-washy prancing.”

“Hey!” protested Katara. “That wishy-washy prancing has kicked your ass more than once!”

Zuko grinned. “I know. But there’s no snow bank here for you to utilise.”

The remark made Katara laugh. It was true. Although there was a full moon tonight. If she had to fight for any reason after sun-down she would almost unstoppable. Unfortunately, her power wained during the day while Zuko’s had an edge, which seemed particularly unfair considering fights and training nearly always took place during the day.

“So, what are you teaching me then?” she asked.

“A set that centres power and grounds you, but also if done right is beautiful. Aang and I learnt it from the sun warriors.”

“Oh…” Katara breathed out the word in her surprise. He was going to teach her that dance. She was honoured but also a little taken aback. As far as she was aware very few people in the world knew those moves in sequence and now Zuko was offering to teach them to her.

“Okay, just follow me,” he said, stepping in front of her. “It’s usually done in a half circle, but we’ll just do it in a straight line until you get the hang of it.”

Katara looked at his back, a few meters in front of her. She saw the muscles in his shoulders and arms tense right before he began to move and then Katara was struggling to keep up. The movements were almost jerky in comparison to her waterbending, each move having to be finished before moving onto the next and within minutes she suddenly appreciated so much more the amount of control Zuko had to have to execute his firebending moves so quickly.

After they had run through it a few times Zuko turned to Katara. “Okay, let me see you do it.”  
Conscious of his eyes on her Katara ran through the moves as accurately as she could, doing her best to pause slightly to prevent herself from moving too quickly into the next one. As she shifted from foot to foot she realised there was a fluttering in her stomach and she wondered why on earth the thought of Zuko watching her was making her feel nervous.

When she was done her eyes met Zuko’s but he had them narrowed in thought.  
“That bad huh?” she asked.

Zuko jolted out from his reverie. “No, no. Not at all, it wasn’t bad for a first try. Some of your stances aren’t quite right though.”

He moved forward and slipped into one of the lower ones, left leg bent, right leg outstretched so he was almost sitting on his left foot.  
“Do this one again for me please.”

Katara mirrored him as requested and Zuko pulled his right leg back in so he was on his haunches.

“May I?” He gestured at Katara’s legs and she nodded, watching as Zuko’s arms reached out to her calf. Gently he pulled it out and forward a little, forcing Katara to shift her weight. She felt herself lose her centre of gravity and the next thing she knew her arms were on Zuko’s shoulders, preventing her from falling.

Their two bodies were closer than Katara thought they had ever been and she could feel the heat radiating off Zuko’s body. His own stance was so solid that he’d barely shifted as she pitched into him, but he looked into her face, just inches from her own.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry, just over balanced.” Katara felt heat rising into her face and glanced down at her leg, where Zuko still had her calf in his grip.

“Happens to the best of us,” Zuko replied now moving his hands to her bent knee, pushing it out away from him and the thought of how his hands would feel on the rest of her body passed through Katara’s mind before she even had time to register it.

“So did you get this personal with Aang?” Katara joked and then mentally cursed herself inside her head. That sounded just like someone who was flirting would say! And she wasn’t flirting with Zuko.

Zuko made one more small adjustment to her leg position. “No, just you,” he replied quietly, standing up before Katara had a chance to respond.

“Your arms are alright, although you have a tendency to soften them too much,” he remarked seemingly unfazed by the exchange they had just had.

“Right,” said Katara, desperately gathering herself together. “So, am I ready for the half circle?”

Zuko smiled, “I think you are. Come one, we’ll do it together.” He extended his hand to help her up and even though she was perfectly capable of rising out of the position herself she still took it, enjoying the sensation of him taking her weight.  
  
They started shoulder to shoulder and on Zuko’s mark they moved off together. The two of them moved in unison, Katara aware of Zuko on the other side of the circle from her and how his movements were unwavering and confident. She tried to copy that and as she moved around she felt her body respond to the sequence of events, her energy welling up inside her and for the last few steps she forgot about everything around her, completely lost in the movements.

When they finished Katara was flushed from the excitement of it all. She did a little bouncy dance on the spot grinning at Zuko. “Oh that was amazing!”

Zuko smiled back at her, clearly enjoying her excitement. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. Does that make us even now?”

“More than even I think Zuko. I just taught you a basic water bending set. You taught me something special.”

Zuko shrugged at her response, although did look down at his feet as he replied. “Nothing less than what a master bender deserves.”

Katara’s heart thudded at the compliment. “Zuko…”

He looked up again. “So, ready to face-off again? What’s the current score, 4-3 to me?”

“Oh, I didn’t realise we were keeping score Firelord! Well, if that’s the case I’ll have to stop going easy on you.” Katara took up her beginning stance and took the offensive this time, aiming a water whip at him the second he took up his stance. She registered the look of surprise on his face before her vision of him was obscured by a wall of flames and the fight began in earnest.

* * *

A few hours after breakfast Katara found herself next to Chief Arnook on the walk up to the Fire Sage Temple, which was today’s activity.

Katara enjoyed Chief Arnook’s company, although recently she had begun to find him more and more grating. As the South Pole gradually improved its standing in the world the Northern Water Tribe had ever so slowly begun to re-tighten its grip on them. Technically the Southern Water Tribe was governed by the Northern, but Katara and many others felt that they had long ago abandoned any claim it it when they cut themselves off from the world and left the Southern Water Tribe to fend for themselves in the war.  
Occasionally Chief Arnook would make small comments which technically were true but still annoyed Katara. Sometimes she wondered how different things might be if Sokka had ended up as his son-in-law. Would he be more willing to back off the Southern Water Tribe, or think that gave him even more claim to it? Such thoughts were useless of course, none of them could change history.

They made pleasant small talk at first; the accommodation, last night’s cultural display, what other guests would be arriving in a few days time and the like, but soon it shifted back to the main feature of the week. Firelord Zuko.

“You two are close.” It was a statement more than a fact, but Chief Arnook’s tone made Katara blink. Was there something… Disapproving in it?

“Of course, we both helped train the Avatar and spent a lot time together after he renounced the Fire Nation in the final months of the war. It’s only natural that strong bonds would spring up.” She tried to make her answer sound lighthearted. “He’s like a brother to Sokka and Aang.”

“And to you? Is he like a brother to you?”

“I already have one brother to deal with,” Katara laughed. “I don’t need another.” She was aware that her words side-stepped the question because she didn’t view Zuko as a brother. She never had. He was somehow so much more than that, and being around him over the past few days had reminded her just how precious their bond was.

It was more than just the time they’d spent together in the final days of the war. Their early childhoods mirrored one another in so many ways that once Katara had finally forgiven Zuko she’d understood him in a way no one else in their little Gaang could. 

“Anyway,” she continued. “It’s sensible to have close links with the nations. We’re not at war any more, we’re only going to become more closely linked. The United Republic of Nations is evidence of that.”

Chief Arnook made a noise in his throat with could either be interpreted as disagreement or consent, and Katara wasn’t sure what to take it as.  
“Just so long as we can maintain our independence. The Poles have never needed to rely on other Nations before, we have no intention of starting now.”

Katara’s reply was cut off by the arrival at the Fire Temple, which was probably a good thing. She had been about to say some very cutting things to Chief Arnook about the fact the South Pole would have been very glad from assistance from anyone after the North had cut themselves off from the rest of the world and left the South Pole to their fate. She’d heard rumours that the North was becoming dissatisfied with the difference in reparations between the North and South from the Fire Nation. Until now Katara had dismissed it as idle gossip but now she was wondering if there might be some some truth in it after all.

There wasn’t any more time to dwell on that thought though, as one of the Fire Sages was welcoming the guests to their Temple and ushering them inside. Katara took the opportunity to drop back from Chief Arnook and instead found herself beside the Kyoshi Warrior, Kuvira.

Together the two of them looked up and around. The Palace was grand, but this place was awe-inspiring. Although Katara assumed the two must have been built around the same time the Temple felt like it was much older, there was a reverence to the room that they had entered in to that set her skin tingling. It would have been no surprise to Katara if a spirit had drifted across the floor in front of them. Columns hewn from rock shaped like stalagmites reached up to the ceiling, while busts of previous avatars were set in alcoves along the walls.

The Fire Sage led the entire group down the hall, explaining how when the Avatar was born into the Fire Nation, they were brought here on their 18th birthday to be told of their destiny and prepare them for the journey they were about to embark on.

Leaning in to Katara, Kuvia spoke in a hushed tone so as not to disturb the rest of the guests. “Can you believe this is actually my first time in here?”

Katara glanced at her. “Really?” She was surprised, assuming that the former bodyguard of the Fire Lord would know the entire Palace grounds inside out.

“Yeah, when Lord Zuko came here, he always insisted on coming alone, and the Sages refused to let us patrol it.”

“I guess it’s a sacred spot…” mused Katara.

“One that holds many secrets,” agreed Kuvira conspiratorially.

If Kuvira expected to discover any of the Fire Temple’s secrets today’s toour she was to be disappointed. The Sages led them through corridors and into rooms, but not down any hidden staircases. Zuko walked at the front of the group, listening as intently to the Sages as the rest of the group. Katara couldn’t help her gaze from lingering on his back as they walked around. He didn’t wear his formal robes as much as she expected him too, preferring his gold gilded tunic and trousers, although the only time his crown was ever absent was during their training sessions in the mornings.

Watching him interact with the guests Katara realised that he wore Lordship well. This was probably the first time she’d spent so long with him in the role of Firelord and she had to admit she was impressed. She bet he still could lose his temper on occasion, but the way he spoke to people showed that he really cared. Zuko had been determined to make sure he wasn’t a Firelord like his father and right now Katara thought he was probably about as far away from that as he could be.

Kuvira jolted Katara from her thoughts. “Hey, do you wanna ditch this party?”

“What?” Katara looked at her in shock. “What do you mean?”

“We passed a door that was half ajar a few minutes back. I wanna check it out.” Kuvira nodded her head at the Fire Sage. “This guy is just rambling on about how the Fire Sages used to help govern the Fire Nation eons ago.”

Katara glanced at the rest of the group. She had to admit, she was a little bit bored. Once the initial impression of the inside of the temple had worn off there wasn’t too much to hold her attention. While the history of the Fire Sages was important because Zuko was trying to steer the Fire Nation back to an adapted version of it, she already knew a lot of it from discussions years ago with Zuko and the Gaang. She looked at the rest of the group again, feeling a little bit guilty, but not enough to stop the next sentence coming from her mouth.

“Oh go on then. But we have to make sure we don’t get lost.”

“Don’t worry,” grinned Kuvira. “We’ll just follow the sound of old men droning on.”

Katara stifled a giggle, and the two of them ducked behind a pillar until the group had turned a corner. It wasn’t long before they were at the door had spotted, a shaft of light cutting on the floor of the corridor from the gap between the door and the doorframe.  
Kuvira peered though the gap and listened intently for a second or two before pushing the door open and stepping through it. Katara followed her.

The was clearly a study of some sort. It held a desk, which was bare except for a pen and ink tray, and behind it were a few spare sets of Fire Sage robes, complete with hats. In fact room was entirely unremarkable apart from one feature; the whole way around the room was a stunning mural of the dragons teaching the first peoples of the Fire Nation how to fire bend. Not only was the art incredible, but the colours were so vivid it seemed as if the dragons were about to leap from the walls.

“Wow…” breathed Katara as she took it all in. “It’s stunning…”  
Her head whipped round at a call from Kuvira.

“Hey, check it out Katara, I’m a Fire Sage!”

Kuvira had donned a robe, which was far too big for her, and stuck one of the hats on her head to complete the outfit. She pulled a funny face and did a short dance, which caused Katara to giggle but at the same time, be inexplicably reminded of Aang.

“It suits you,” she teased and Kuvira laughed.

“It certainly doesn’t smell like me! Phew, either these haven’t been worn in a while, or the Sages smell as stuffy as they talk.”

“Stop!” said Katara, although she was unable to contain her smile. “The Fire Sages are part of an ancient tradition. We’re supposed to respect them.”

“We are,” said Kuvira taking off the outfit and returning it to the spot she’d removed it from. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t have a bit of harmless fun with them.”

“Did you see this mural?” asked Katara and Kuvira came back to join her. “It’s breathtaking. I can’t believe it’s tucked away in a little room like this.”

Kuvira shrugged. “Maybe it’s the head honcho’s office?”

“Maybe… I wonder-”

“What! Are you two doing in here?” The words interrupted whatever Katara had been about to say and she spun around, her hand on her chest from the surprise.

Zuko was standing in the door, arms crossed, a scowl on his face.

“Lord Zuko!” exclaimed Kuvira, bowing deeply at the same time Katara said his name.

“Get out of that bow Kuvira,” Zuko said sharply. “Suki always did have trouble keeping you in line, didn’t she?”

“Guilty as charged,” replied Kuvia, complying to his command and shooting Katara a quick wink.

Katara was mortified. She’d just had the sudden realisation that this was serious. Not sneaking off in itself, but embarrassing Zuko was. If the other guests noticed that two of them had disappeared during the tour how would that reflect on the Firelord’s hosting abilities? She opened her mouth to say something but before she had a chance to Zuko sighed.

“Not that I blame you. The tour isn’t exactly riveting.” He glanced around the room, his quick eyes making sure that nothing was out of place. “Look, we’re gonna be coming back this way in about five minutes. Just make sure the door is shut behind you when you join up with us again.”

And with that he was gone. Katara and Kuvira looked at each other simultaneously and the former let out a big sigh which caused the latter to laugh.

“Oh don’t worry about it. I was always getting in trouble when I worked here.”

“Why didn’t you start with that before you asked me to sneak off with you?” asked Katara, her voice’s pitch raising ever so slightly.

Kuvira shrugged. “It’s fine. We’re not in actual trouble. Stop worrying.”

“I guess you’re right,” consented Katara, moving closer to the door so she could peer out and see when the group was coming back. She still felt uneasy though. Zuko’s body language, although softer at the end, had been rough. Was he cross with her? She hoped not. He had to know she’d never deliberately do anything to jeopardise the success of this week.

Just then the sound of footsteps on stone reached her ears. “Kuvira, they’re coming. You ready?”

Kuvira nodded and the two of them stepped silently out of the room once the group was passed, blending back into them effortlessly. Zuko glanced back as they did so, but didn’t catch Katara’s eye, instead just giving a brief nod that she would have missed if she hadn’t been watching him so intently.

The sun was shining brightly as the group exited the Fire Temple. Kuvira asked if she wanted to go for a run with her but Katara shook her head. She had some things she wanted to do in her room this afternoon. They walked back to the Palace together though, bound now by the secret of their adventure.

* * *

  
Sitting at the desk in her room Katara paused from the letter she was writing to look out the windows. The late afternoon sun was streaming in to where she sat, warming her and lighting the parchment which was half filled with her handwriting already. The garden was a hive of natural activity, bees buzzing around bright flowers, butterflies flitting from petal to petal and if Katara looked closely she could see other insects hurrying along on their tiny lives across the leaves and stems of all the plants. There was a slight sheen on some leaves which led Katara to conclude that a gardener, or even Lady Ursa had been watering the garden before she arrived back at her room.

It really was a beautiful view and Katara appreciated the fact that Zuko had placed her in this room. Although he hadn’t said he’d chosen it for her deliberately, she could tell that he had wanted her to have this scenery. Like she’d said to him the day they arrived, she did miss the colours of the wider world. Katara wouldn’t change her snowy home for anything, but a place like this could tempt her.

Turning away from the pleasant sight Katara picked up her pen again. She was composing a letter to her father since he wasn’t going to be here at all this week. There was a particularly delicate construction project happening at the moment and he felt that he really ought to stay to ensure that everything went smoothly. Before Katara had left Hakoda had told her that he felt more than confident in her and Sokka’s ability to represent the Southern Water tribe at the celebrations. Katara had replied jokingly that she would be there to control any damage Sokka might do. They’d both laughed, knowing that Sokka had better relationships with most major Nation players than some official diplomats, and he was more likely to have to do damage control for Katara than the other way around.

Even though she would be seeing her father again in less than a week, Katara still wanted to write. It seemed like a nice thing to do, and would also ensure that she didn’t forget any details by the time she got back to the South Pole.

Glancing back through what she had already written she realised she had just written an entire paragraph about Zuko. She shook her head. There was no point in crossing it out, her father would still be able to see it, but she hoped it won’t give the wrong impression. It was totally natural that she would enjoy the company of an old friend after so many years, but even as she thought that, Katara remembered the feel of Zuko’s hands on her leg that morning and the way her stomach had started to lurch when he sought out her eyes in a crowd. Katara dismissed the direction her thoughts were going in. She was simply enjoying the company after lacking someone her own age to talk to for so long.

Eventually Katara finished her letter and blew on it until the ink was dry. Rolling it up and securing it with a piece of ribbon she stepped out into the corridor and began walking toward the Welcome Hall. It wasn’t long before Katara came across a servant who was more than happy to send the letter for her. They assured her that they would take it to the royal delivery hawks right away and Katara didn’t doubt them for a moment.

On her way back to her room, Katara decided that she would have a quick stroll around the garden before dinner. It would be nice to enjoy the greenery up-close while she could.

* * *

The dining room was humming with the sound of voices when Katara arrived in for dinner. Not that she was late. Although she had noted that the gong signalling dinner never sounded less than five minutes after the last guest arrived, to ensure no one ever felt like they had been holding the others up Katara supposed.

All the guests had quickly become accustomed to the ritual of gathering in the dining room and engaging in polite small talk before looking for their place names once the sound of the gong had reverted throughout the room.  
Lady Ursa, Iroh and Zuko used the time before then to their advantage, ensuring everyone had been spoken to by at least one member of the royal family. Iroh tended to gather larger groups around him while both Zuko and Ursa seemed to prefer a smaller number of people to engage.

This evening Katara found herself part of the crowd chatting with Iroh. As usual the old general was congenial and charismatic, but Katara kept found her attention drifting away from the conversation and her gaze wandering over to Zuko. But he never once looked her way.

Even through dinner, although Katara managed to engage in conversation, she was distracted. No harm had come from her little jaunt earlier, however she still couldn’t shake the feeling that Zuko was annoyed with her. What other explanation was there for the fact that he didn’t seem to be glancing her way occasionally like he usually did?

Although the dinner was as delicious as usual Katara hardly noticed it.  
“Are you okay Katara?” asked a delegate from the Fire Nation who was sitting next to her.

“Huh? Oh, yes. Sorry. I’m just feeling a little tired.”

The man speaking to her nodded sagely. “Ah yes, the tour today really gave the brain a workout, didn’t it?”

Katara gave him an enigmatic smile. “It certainly was something.” She wished she could remember his name, it was getting a little bit awkward now. She was sure he would soon notice that she hadn’t called him by him name their whole conversation. He’d placed his name plate face down next to his plate, so she couldn’t even sneak a glimpse at that.  
Katara had a sudden feeling that a pair of eyes were on her, but when she looked up to the top of the table Zuko was deep in conversation with someone from the Earth Kingdom.

Thankfully dinner ended soon after that and Katara tried to use the time of people exiting the dining hall to have a quick word with Zuko, but he was always talking to another guest, or a servant, and if she hung back any longer it would look strange to the other guests. She consoled herself with the thought that at least she would be able to talk to him the next morning at training and apologise properly there.

* * *

The moon shone in brightly through Katara’s window, a chink in her curtain allowing it to draw a sharp silver line across her bed, cutting it into two unequal triangles. Katara frustratedly flipped her pillow over to the cool side in a desperate attempt to catch the sleep that was so determinedly avoiding her.

It didn’t work.

Eventually Katara sighed and swung herself out of bed. Pulling the curtains back she let the full light of the moon flood into her room and rested her forearms on the window ledge. The full moon cast the garden in a beautiful hue, it was high in the sky so Katara guessed it must be coming up to midnight. The moon was strong in her veins tonight, the power it held over the tides becoming her power too and Katara flexed her waterbending muscles just to feel the strength of it even though there was nothing around to bend.

Zuko didn’t have that problem. His fire could be summoned from his fists any time he pleased. Unless she wanted to bend sweat she need to make sure she always had a source of water nearby. Maybe that was why Katara felt so comfortable in the Poles. She had complete control over the snow and ice there and even when she was sleeping she could feel the sea, slumbering deep beneath them, constant and eternal.

There was no such peace now however, only the hollow pit in her stomach that somehow, she’d wronged Zuko and needed to talk to him and make amends. Katara didn’t think she’d lost his friendship, they’d come through too much for that, but she didn’t want the rest of their week together being spoiled by an ill feeling, no matter how slight.

There was only one thing for it. Hurriedly pulling her clothes on Katara stepped out of her room and into the corridor. She had to talk to Zuko.

Although Katara didn’t know exactly where Zuko’s chambers were she knew the rough direction. She figured that once she got close enough there would be guards and she’d either be able to persuade them to let her in to see Zuko, or if turned away, she’d just find a way to sneak around them. They might be elite Fire Palace guards, but she was the last waterbender in the Southern Water tribe.

The halls of the Fire Palace looked different at night. Torches flickered gently in sconces at regular intervals along the walls, but the majority of the light came from the moon. The Fire Palace was an open building, with many of the halls being nothing more than covered walkways. The heat of the country meant that even the night was warm so walls were less of a necessity.

Once again, the noise of night creatures reached Katara’s ears as she walked in what she thought was the right direction. It seems like she had spent a few nights now listening to insects and other animals going about their nightly business.

Katara was beginning to feel silly for walking the halls so late at night, Zuko was probably asleep anyway and would waking him up not make him more annoyed? Just as she was thinking this though, she recognised an intersection of halls where Iroh and Zuko had gone down the day of the market and taking it as a sign, continued on her way.

A few minutes later Katara did indeed come across armed guards. She called a greeting out to them before they had a chance to stop her.

“Hello! I realise it’s late and this is very unorthodox, but I need to speak to Zu- I mean, Firelord Zuko.” She gave her most charming smile, the one that made old ladies calling her the sweetest dear and vendors add an extra portion to her order. “Are you able to tell him that I’d like to see him? I’m Katara by the way, it’s nice to meet you both.”

The two guards exchanged a look. Clearly their training hadn’t prepared them for this particular scenario. The one standing on the left cleared their throat before speaking.

“Um, yes Lady Katara we know who you are. The thing is…” he trailed off glancing at the other guard for support.

Katara spoke before the other had a chance to. “I know it’s a bit strange but it’s important. I know he won’t mind seeing me.”  
That was a lie. Katara wasn’t sure that Zuko would be happy to see her right at this very moment, but surely once his guards had woken him up (if he was asleep) he’d think the damage to his sleep was already done and see what she wanted. Surely?

“No, it’s not that Lady Katara.” The guard on the right was talking now. “It’s that - we’re probably not supposed to tell people but it’s you - Lord Zuko actually left his chambers a little while ago. He’s not come back yet.”

“Oh.” Katara was taken-aback. Of all the ways she had expected this conversation to play out, Zuko not being there had not been one of them. “Do you know where he went?”

The guards shook their heads. “Sorry. He said something about needing space and that he didn’t need us to accompany him.”

“Right. Thanks,” Katara said a little distractedly, and began to turn away but remembered to bow to the guards at the last moment. They returned it, but Katara hardly noticed, she was so busy thinking about where Zuko could have gone.

The problem was, she thought to herself as she walked away, was that she didn’t know the palace very well. Zuko could be anywhere, from the Fire Temple to his offices. Although… The guard had said he said he needed space. That implied he was going somewhere unrelated to work, somewhere he could think in peace… Probably somewhere special to him.

The answer came to Katara in a flash and luckily she knew exactly how to get there! Looking around her she adjusted her path accordingly.

* * *

Katara was right. There, in the light of the moon by the turtleduck pond stood Zuko. Well, stood was the wrong word. He was moving through firebending sets without actually firebending, sweat glistening on his forehead and sticking strands of his hair to his forehead. He was obviously working himself hard.

Katara stood in the shadows, breathing softly not wanting to draw attention to herself. There was something so peaceful about the image of Zuko moving in the moonlight completely unaware that he was being watched, and therefore completely at ease with himself. His features were hardened in concentration as he moved and like that morning, Katara admired his control and precision. He paused in his movements to roll his sleeves up, his forearms pale against the dark of his robes. Katara noticed that although he’d become still his face had kept the worried look.  
What was bothering him? Surely it was more than what was bothering her?

Pushing his hair off his forehead Zuko resumed his practice. As he kicked Katara could hear his puffs and exhales across the garden in the stillness of the night air. That thought made Katara stand up a little straighter, suddenly alert. Where had the night sounds gone? She listened again. It was completely quiet, like the calm before a winter storm. Something wasn’t right. She was about to step out and call to Zuko when she saw it; a glint of silver in the darkness.

It moved at the same time Katara called out. Zuko turned toward the sound of her voice and she leapt into the garden while forming an ice arrow from the pond to intercept whatever had just been fired at Zuko. Her body acted on instinct, her arm stretching out - willing herself to make it in time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any parts/sentences that you really loved? Let me know what they were!


	6. ZUKO

The light of the moon was more than enough for Zuko to see as he made his way from his chambers to the turtleduck garden. Sleep was evading him again, but it was for a very different reason to the night before. He thought about the tug on his heart when Katara had appeared in the training grounds that morning and how a voice at the back of his head told him it wasn’t just the joy of seeing an old friend any more. He’d pushed it back not wanting to deal with the thought, but it had come rushing back to him the second he laid his hands on her calf and she’d almost sent the two of them tumbling to the ground. And then there had been that thing he said about only getting personal with her. Zuko actually groaned with embarrassment at the memory. What had he been thinking?

When he reached it, Zuko easily leapt over the small railings and dropped down into the turtle duck garden. He always came here when he needed to think. The stillness of it all gave him space to breathe.

Zuko crouched down at the side of the pond but the turtle ducks were asleep, heads laid neatly on top of their shells under a bush on the far side from Zuko. The fish were still too. There was little to distract Zuko from the thoughts of Katara that kept rising in his brain.

He’d spent most of the tour of the Fire Palace thinking about conversations they’d had that week, of how she hadn’t moved her hand away from his the previous night. It was easy for his thoughts to drift as the Fire Sages didn’t exactly know how to make information gripping for guests. When he noticed that Katara and Kuivra were missing from the group he didn’t blame them, in fact he’d been a little envious. He wanted to sneak off and have an adventure with Katara too.

It hadn’t been difficult to separate himself from the group by pretending he wanted a moment of stillness alone to pay his respects to the statue of Avatar Roku in room which held effigies of previous Fire Nation avatars. Once everyone else had left the room Zuko doubled back on their steps and it wasn’t long before he heard the voices of the two women he was looking for. He’d peaked through the crack in the door and seen the two of them laughing together.

Something had overcome him then. He’d not been able to pinpoint it, it could have been nostalgia, or even envy. Whatever it was, he didn’t react well. Maybe it was because he’d spent most of the day thinking about Katara whilst also trying to avoid confronting his feelings. He’d snapped at the two of them and the hurt look in Katara’s eyes did nothing to help him. Rather immaturely Zuko had spent the rest of the day avoiding her so he didn’t have to think about how all he wanted to do was ignore the rest of the guests and spend all his time with her. But now, out here, with no-one around there was nothing to distract him.

Zuko groaned and buried his face in his hands. Love was too strong a word to put on what he was feeling, but at the same time crush seemed like such a childish one.

He liked her. He knew that now, even if it was difficult and terrifying to admit it. What he didn’t know was what to do about it. There was no way Katara felt the same way about him. She might have forgiven him and even love him as a friend now, but his nation had murdered her mother and destroyed most of her tribe. Zuko thought about the way his eyes had kept being drawn to her today, despite his resolution not to dwell on her. Did her gaze fall on him as often? He knew the answer. It couldn’t do. But then there was last night…

Standing up abruptly , Zuko resolved to put any sort of that thinking out of his head. Katara would never think about him in that way. He had to accept it. There was only one thing that would take his mind off things now; training drills.

It wasn’t long before Zuko was drenched in sweat. The night was warmer than usual and Zuko was making sure that he put his full effort into every single move. He wasn’t actually bending, his mother would kill him if he scorched the plants in here, but that didn’t mean the movements were any less intense.

He brushed some of his hair off his forehead, feeling the rough skin of his scar as he did so. Sometimes he was surprised when he felt the scar. It had been a part of him for so long now that often he even forgot it was there. The servants were all used to it, and visiting dignitaries too polite to react to it. Zuko knew it was a shocking scar to see for the first time but he no longer wished he could get rid of it. It was a physical reminder of what he was trying not to be and he’d learnt to live with it. He wouldn’t say that he was proud of it, more like he had just stopped letting it occupy negative space in his mind.

There had been a day long ago when Katara had offered to try and heal his scar. The memory flew into Zuko’s mind, unbidden and unwelcome. He still remembered how Katara had made him feel like maybe there was a way out for him that day, how he’d chosen the wrong option when faced with the choice of siding with her or Azula, how she was the first person he’d let touch his face since the day of the Agni Kai.

Huffing Zuko threw himself back into his punches and kicks. He had come out here to try and rid his minds of intrusive thoughts of Katara and instead they were multiplying like flies on a fruit. 

Foot, fist, foot, fist, pivot, crouch, foot, fist.

Zuko repeated the movements as if he could beat his thoughts into submission.

Suddenly out the darkness he heard his name called. He turned towards the sound, swearing it sounded like Katara, but before he could do anything else something thudded into his left shoulder, ripping into this flesh, causing him to cry out although more from surprise than pain.

His right hand went to the source of pain and Zuko could feel something sticking out from his body. There was no time to focus on it though, his head had snapped around to see where the missile had come from and he spotted someone dressed in black on the roof of the corridor. Katara was inexplicably beside him but as she appeared so did more assailants. Zuko thought there was at least five, but there could have been more. Their dark clothing blended into the night and the speed at which they moved made them difficult to count.

Another projectile came hurtling towards Zuko’s face so fast he knew he wasn’t going to be able to react in time. But then he felt his sweat lift from his body and the projectile was knocked out of the air.

“Wake up Zuko!” Katara exclaimed, moving so the two of them were back-to-back. She whipped water up from the pond and aimed it at the foe closest to her. They blocked it with a wall of fire.

Zuko swore. They were fire benders. Ignoring the throbbing from his shoulder he summoned up an arc of flames sending it across the roof. Katara raised her arms, using two whips to block darts and flames alike, while Zuko parried things from his side.

The two of them moved around one another effortlessly, unspoken knowledge about the other’s fighting style passing between them, ensuring that there were never any blind spots and that they stood in the centre of a hurricane of fire and water.  
Zuko noticed that Katara seemed to be being more conservative with her water usage than usual and although he wondered what the issue was he also noticed a gap that could be taken advantage of.

“Katara!” he called and set off across the grass. Katara sprinted after him, making sure he was covered as he leapt onto a supporting column and reached the roof in seconds. As soon as he did so, the attackers dropped back, melting into the darkness and shadows of the buildings. Zuko didn’t bother giving chase, there were too many of them, too many ways out of the palace they could have taken.

He dropped back down to the garden, landing beside Katara, flinching as he did so.

“What just happened?” asked Katara, her hair wild around her face which was flushed from the fight. Luckily she didn’t seem to be injured, unlike Zuko himself.

“Azula separatists,” Zuko snarled as he pulled the dart that had struck him from his shoulder.

“What?” Katara took the dart from Zuko and looked it over. There was no doubting it, the dart bore the symbol of his sister. “I thought Aang took her bending away?”

“He did. It doesn’t stop them wanting her on the throne.” He reached to take the dart back from her, but the movement made him wince. In a second Katara had water around her fingertips reaching out to him.

“Here Zuko, let me heal that.”

Zuko nodded, and shrugged off his shirt revealing a jagged wound in his right shoulder, just below the joint. The night has suddenly lost its warmth and Zuko shivered slightly as his chest was exposed to the air.

The wound was still bleeding thanks to the careless way Zuko had taken the dart out, but Katara’s fingers gently held water to it, and it glowed blue as she infused it with her bending. He could feel it working in the wound, a cold tingle against the warmth of his nerves. The pain began to recede as Katara worked causing Zuko to sigh, closing his eyes as she treated him. He knew he should be calling the guards and ordering a search for the attackers who could return at any moment but he didn’t. He felt safe with Katara.

“There we go,” Katara said, causing Zuko to open his eyes and look down at his shoulder. “Good as new.”

She was right. There was only a small red mark where the dart had hit him, and looking at it, Zuko knew it would fade within a matter of months.  
“Thank you,” he said, although the words seemed too inadequate.

Katara replied by exhaling and sitting her weight back, landing onto the grass next to him with a gentle thump. She tucked her loose hair behind her ears.

“What on earth just happened?” she asked. Her tone was flat, lacking in jest or any kind of humour. “I thought the assassination attempts had stopped?”

Zuko drew a hand down his face. He was tired too. Tired from his duties, tired from always having his guard up, tired from not getting as much sleep as he should be the in the past week.

“They have. Or they had. That’s the first one in years. My guess is that they couldn’t pass up the opportunity of the symbolism of the anniversary.” He bumped shoulders gently with Katara, a pathetic attempt to lift her mood. “Too bad they didn’t factor a master water bender being with me.”

As he said the words though, the question as to what Katara was actually doing out here in the first place rose in his mind. There hadn’t been any time to dwell on it before but she should be asleep in bed, like the rest of the guests were hopefully. His own guards didn’t even know he’d come to his part of the palace, how did Katara find him?

He was about to ask her, but she was already speaking, gesturing toward the pond she’d removed the water from for the fight.  
“Thank goodness for the full moon, otherwise I would have had to sacrifice the fish.”

Zuko chuckled. “I thought you were being a bit more conservative than usual with your water. My mother will appreciate the gesture.”

Katara didn’t smile at his words though and Zuko turned to look at her, concerned. She was hugging her knees, reminding him of that time in the crypts beneath Ba Sing Se, when they’d talked properly for the first time ever. It hurt him to see her looking so worried, even though she had just helped save his life again. How many life debts would he owe her before he finally died (hopefully of old age)?

Zuko put a hand on Katara’s shoulder.  
“Hey, come on. It’s okay. We’re fine.”

Katara turned at his touch and looked at him. “It just- it gave me such flash backs of our fight with Azula.”  
Katara gently touched the other scar Zuko had, the one in the centre of his chest from where his sister had struck him with lightening ten years ago.  
“I couldn’t protect you then…”

“But you did save me.”

Katara’s hand was still on his chest. Zuko closed his hand over it. His heart was pounding and he knew it wasn’t because of the fight this time. He leaned towards her, inch by inch, and she was moving towards him too. When Zuko lifted his free hand and ever so cautiously placed it on Katara’s cheek, she closed her eyes and leaned into it, her skin soft to his touch and he could hardly believe this was happening.

“Katara,” he whispered, wanting to be sure he wasn’t misreading anything. “Is it okay if I kiss you?”

Katara nodded and whispered back a yes, opening her eyes to look at him as she did so. As amber met blue he could see his longing reflected back at him and then his lips were on hers. 

It was gentle at first, almost hesitant, as if it was a dream that he would wake from at any moment, but then Katara pressed into him and he didn’t wake so he responded too. He let go of Katara’s hand to reach up to her hair, tangling the thick texture of it between his fingers. She kept her hand on his chest, the pressure firmer now and he wondered if she could feel the rhythmic pounding of his heart as their mouths opened deepening the kiss further.

When they broke away from one another Zuko rested his forehead on Katara’s, his hands on her cheeks, her hand still pressed firmly against his chest. They paused like that, enjoying the moment and Zuko could feel the pleasure radiating off Katara’s body. He smiled.

“Katara-” he started, but before he could get any further there was a loud crash and several guards burst through the nearest door.

“Lord Zuko!” the lead one called, looking frantically around.

Zuko and Katara leapt apart from one another as if they had been burnt.

“I’m over here,” Zuko replied unable to hide the weariness to his tone. He should have known that his duty would catch up with him even if he wished it would stay away for just one moment.

The guards rushed over to where Zuko and Katara were sitting and threw themselves prostate on the ground.  
“Forgive us Lord Zuko,” they said. “We have just discovered evidence of intruders and you have clearly been attacked. It is unforgivable.”

Zuko sighed. “Get up. I keep telling you, nothing is unforgivable. Katara and I forced the intruders to retreat. They were Azula separatists, but there was no point in pursuing them. I sustained a minor injury which Katara has already healed."

The guards were still kneeling, but at Zuko’s words had raised their heads. On hearing the last part the leader once again pressed their face to the ground.  
“Lady Katara. We are indebted to you.”

“I’ve already thanked her,” said Zuko impatiently. “There’s no point in looking for the intruders now, they’ll be long gone. What I do need you to do is check that the halls of the guests have been undisturbed. I suspect that I was their only target, but we’d better make sure.”

The guards bowed again in response and stood up.

“Will you go with them please Katara?” asked Zuko. “It’s late, and this way you won’t be alone on the walk back to your room.”

Katara touched him on the arm. “Are you sure don’t want me to stay?”

Zuko did, very much so, but it wasn’t right. He would have to do a perimeter walk, talk to the guards on duty, try and figure out how the assailants gained access to the palace and come up with a quick security fix. He’d also have to wait for the report from the guards present here so that he could satisfy himself that he was indeed the only target. He could just imagine the diplomatic nightmare if a guest from another nation had been targeted by fire benders in the Fire Palace. He didn’t want to do any of that right now, he wanted to feel Katara’s skin on his again, to hold her without fear of interruption but as usual, duty called.

He couldn’t say all of this out loud of course, so he just shook his head.  
“No, please. I’ll feel better knowing you’re safe in your room. Plus, if you do come across more intruders… Well, most other water sources around here don’t have fish living in them.”

Katara must have sensed something in his tone because she didn’t object like he was expecting her to.  
“If you’re sure,” was all she said and got to her feet, casting one last glance at him before she exited with his guards.

It was only when she was gone that he realised he never had a chance to ask her why she was out of bed in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter today, but hopefully the content makes up for it!  
> And remember everyone: consent is cool!
> 
> Any parts/sentences that you liked? Let me know what they were!  
> All comments welcome, even just keyboard smashes.


	7. KATARA

Dawn broke, it sending beams of light through a crack in Katara’s curtains and rousing her into the day. As she woke the events of the previous night flickered through her memory and although the worry of the assassination attack was there, her overriding feeling was a warm sensation spreading throughout her body. Zuko had kissed her!

Katara practically leapt out of bed. It had taken right up to the moment where his lips touched her for her to realised that it was what she wanted, what she’d always wanted. For so long her choices had been dictated by the war, by what was best for Aang, how best to get the Southern Water Tribe back on their feet that she hadn’t given any thought to the glowing embers of feeling for Zuko that had been smouldering inside her.

But now everything had been brought into the daylight and Katara practically flew down the corridors to the training grounds, excited to see Zuko and see what today would bring.  
She burst through the doors, but the greeting she had planned died on her lips.

Zuko stood where he normally did, in his usual training clothes, but he was flanked by a pair of guards.  
Katara descended the steps to the training ground, but kept her robe on instead of shedding it like usual. Her quizzical look elicited a sheepish response from Zuko.

“I’m sorry. They insisted after last night.” It was accompanied by an apologetic shrug.

Katara couldn’t think of anything to say apart from “Oh.”

She had been looking forward having a conversation with Zuko about last night, about making sure that it wasn’t just adrenaline acting. The fact that Zuko had stopped and checked with her to make sure it was okay to kiss her made her think that it hadn’t been, and that he might actually feel the same way about her as she had come to realise that she felt about him.

It was clear that wouldn’t be happening however. The presence of the guards made sure of that. Even if Zuko was willing to talk about something so personal in front of them (and she wasn’t sure he was) she certainly wasn’t.

Zuko made no moved to mention the night before however and somewhat deflated, Katara took off her robe and assumed her usual position to begin their warm-ups. 

She and Zuko worked through their warm-ups in silence, no offer to teach anything today coming from either of them. There was no easy banter this morning. How could there be? The relaxing atmosphere that usually accompanied these morning sessions had been completely shattered by the presence of the guards.

Katara knew they were just doing their job and she shouldn’t hold that against them, but she still resented their presence. The third time Zuko pinned her to the ground, a fist inches from her face he didn’t release her as soon as it was obvious he had won.

“What is it? You’re holding back.”

Katara knocked his fist away, annoyed that what he said was true and annoyed that he had noticed before she had.

“What do you expect when you’ve got literal guards there waiting to take me out if it looks like I’m about to overwhelm you?” she snapped.

Zuko chucked which annoyed her even more.

“Is that all? You know they’d not attack you, but if it makes you feel better…” and he stood up, turning to face the guards against the back wall.

“Li, Jin, this is a direct order. You are not to apprehend Katara, even if it looks like she is about to kill me. If she does kill me, you are welcome to arrest her according to the laws of the Fire Nation. If you can catch her.”

Zuko turned back to Katara after the guards had saluted to show they understood. “That satisfy you?”

Katara just scowled and pushed herself to her feet.

“I suppose so,” she conceded. Honestly, Katara had no idea why she was being so bratty. After all it wasn’t Zuko’s fault that someone had tried to kill him last night. If she was on his security detail she’d have insisted accompanying him to training this morning too.

She gave herself a little shake as she took up her starting position. This morning was going very different to what she had expected when she woke up. She shouldn’t be punishing Zuko for something beyond his control, if anything she should be asking if he was okay after last night. Living through a war and facing death countless times didn’t preclude you from getting spooked when someone attempted to assassinate you.

“Okay,” she said. “No more Miss. Nice Gal.”

And she swept up her arms lifting all the water in the training yard into a sheet above both their heads. Zuko looked up, realisation dawning on his face.

“No, Katara, don’t-”

But his objections were cut off as Katara released her hold on the water, drenching the both of them. The force of it made them lose their balance, sending them toppling to the ground amid laughter from the pair of them.

“I win,” grinned Katara.

“Uh, draw?” replied Zuko, gesturing to the fact that Katara was on the floor too.

“Alright, draw.”

The laughter had broken a bit of the wall between them and improved Katara’s mood immensely. Okay, there were still armed guards watching them but she could forget about them more easily now, focusing instead on reading Zuko’s movements and trying to predict his next move before he even knew himself. 

She got it right as often as he did, and Katara wondered if they were so well matched in their spars simply because they knew each other so well. Perhaps she should take on General Iroh one of these days, just to test her theory. That however, wouldn’t be half as much fun. Katara realised that her body wasn’t just reacting to the fight, but the proximity of Zuko too. Each time they got in close, the hairs on her arm stood to attention and she felt her heartbeat raise. She looked for evidence that Zuko was reacting in a similar way to her but each time she searched his face she couldn’t find what she was looking for.

Training couldn’t last forever and too soon for Katara it was time for them to clean up and head to breakfast. After they had gone their separate ways Katara realised she had forgotten to ask Zuko what the plan for today was. Oh well, she’d simply be in the same position as all the other guests, even if it did feel a bit odd to be in the dark.

* * *

At breakfast Katara sat down with King Kuei and the Fire Nation delegate she’d been sitting next to last night. Once again, Zuko had beaten her to the dining room and Katara wondered if there were secret tunnels under the palace that allowed him to move around faster. She wouldn’t be surprised.

“I’m surprised to see you were training with Lord Zuko Katara,” said the Fire Nation delegate, “after last night.”

“Pardon?” said Katara. Her stomach dropped out of her. How on earth did he know about last night? Zuko had made it very clear that the guests weren’t to know about what had happened, he didn’t want panic amongst the guests. He’d increased security around the grounds and was sure that no further attempts would be forthcoming.

There must have been an element of panic in her voice because the Fire Nation delegate looked unnerved by her response.

“I only meant, em, that you mentioned last night that you were feeling tired. I thought you might take this morning to take a break.”

Relief spread through Katara’s body and she sunk into her seat and began eating her breakfast.

“Oh, yes. Well, I’ve done much more on much less sleep.” She smiled at the others at that table. “It would take a lot more than brief tiredness to stop me from sparing with Zu- Lord Zuko.”

King Kuei gave a few short delighted claps of his hands. “I’m sure it truly is a sight to behold.” He leaned into the Fire Nation delegate. “Kuzon, I remember when Katara broke into my palace with the Avatar and the others to tell me about the war. But it was certainly something you’d never imagine seeing. Lord Zuko wasn’t with them then of course. I can only imagine how exciting it would be to see Katara and he face one another.”

King Kuei suddenly turned to Katara, a light in his eyes. Katara didn’t like where this was going, although she was relieved she knew the name of the Fire Lord delegate now.

“Katara,” Kind Kuei continued, “what do you think the chances are of us being able to observe the two of you?”

 _No way!_ Katara immediately thought. Not only did she not want to put on a display for the guests here, she didn’t want to lose the time that she and Zuko had together alone. _Although,_ she thought wryly, _maybe that had already been ruined._  
She couldn’t say that out loud of course, so opted instead for a more diplomatic answer.

“I think that would be difficult I’m afraid, King Kuei,” she said after swallowing her bread. “The training ground isn’t really designed for spectators. We couldn’t guarantee you a safe space and the last thing anyone wants is for someone to be accidentally injured.”

King Kuei nodded, although the disappointment was clear on his face. A brief flicker of disappointment also passed across Kuzon’s face but he was much better at disguising it.

“What a shame,” remarked the King of the Earth Nation as he speared a sausage and popped it in his mouth.

Katara made a noise in her throat that wasn’t exactly agreeing with him, but also wasn’t disagreeing. Maybe the Katara of 10 years ago would have told him straight to his face that she didn’t want to be a sideshow for a bunch of people she hardly knew, but the intervening decade had taught her a lot. Mainly that righteous anger was productive and got results but that self-serving anger was rarely well received.

Katara ate a mountain of food for breakfast. The stress of last night and then training this morning had made her ravenous, plus there was this amazing thinly sliced spicy meat that she had completely fallen in love with. It went so well with the soft rolls that were also served. She’d gone up for seconds and thirds, and was still finishing off what was on her plate when Zuko stood up to address everyone about the days activities.

Watching him with the same amount of anticipation as the rest of the room Katara idly eat the few remaining morsels on her plate, taking in how the curve of Zuko’s biceps were highlighted under his robes when he gestured towards everyone.

“Good morning distinguished guests,” he started. “I trust you all slept well last night. Today I have the pleasure of informing you that you will be making your own lunch.”

A slight mummer went around the hall at his words but Zuko simply smiled like he knew a secret.

“Today, you will be spending lunch in the Palace kitchens with the best chefs in the Fire Nation, showing you how to prepare a few of our national dishes. Naturally afterwards you will be able to sample the fruits of your labour, as well as extra dishes the chefs will have prepared for you.”

“Thank goodness for that,” muttered King Kuei, “I’ve never been in kitchen in my life.”

“Unfortunately,” Zuko continued, “a matter has arisen which requires my urgent attention. Regrettably this means I will not be able to join you until dinner, but I know that with my staff you will be in the best of hands.”

Another mummer went around the room at this sentence, different in tone to the first one, but no less curious. A few heads flicked briefly around to Katara and she did her best to look as bemused as the rest of them. She wondered if anyone else had noticed that there were more armed guards in the room than yesterday.

Zuko didn’t hang around after the announcement. After a respectful bow he swept out of the room and was gone before anyone had a chance to ask him any questions. Which was smart of him thought Katara, but he probably didn’t count of most of the guests suspecting Katara might have some information about it.

Sure enough, Kuzon turned to Katara almost as soon as Zuko had disappeared.

“What do you suppose had directed the Firelord’s attention?” he mused out loud, but clearly directed in Katara’s direction. “It can’t be a military issue, General Iroh and Admiral Kiyi are both still here.”

“Well,” said Katara in what she hoped was a breezy tone, “General Iroh is retired, and it may be a matter unrelated to the navy.” She tried not to notice that a few other people had made their way towards them and were listening in on the conversation.

“But what could have torn Lord Zuko away from what we know is such an important event to him?” added King Kuei. “I know that it would have to be something major to tear me away from my duties.”

Katara had to bite her tongue. The phrase ‘there is no war in Ba Sing Se’ had immediately sprung to mind, but Kuei had been working very hard as a ruler since then. Even if he did almost accidentally start a second war with his efforts…

“I’m sure there’s a simple explanation, Lord Zuko probably just doesn’t want to bore us with long explanations of matters of state,” she suggested to the guests around her. She was beginning to wonder how to extract herself from this situation as soon as possible. She was much better than Aang at lying, but if this went on much longer people would know she knew something.

“Excuse me everyone,” said a voice from behind several people and Katara was relieved to see Lady Ursa making her way towards her. “I am so sorry, but I am afraid that I need a word with Katara, I’m developing a new water delivery system for my garden and I simply must consult her water bending expertise.”

As Lady Ursa took her by the arm, steering her out of the dining hall and away from everyone Katara tried to look as if she knew exactly what a ‘water delivery system’ was and how she might be of help. When Ursa whispered in her ear not to worry, it was simply an excuse to get her out of there, Katara breathed a sigh of relief.

“Oh thank goodness,” she said. “I had no idea how I was going to be of any use to you at all.”

Ursa slowed her pace and glanced behind them to ensure no one was following them.

“I hear you have already been on immense use to me Katara. One more count of saving my son’s life to the debt of gratitude I owe you.”

“Oh. Oh!” Katara shook her head. “Lady Ursa, you owe me no debt at all.”

“Nevertheless, you are the reason we will be having a ball instead of a wake in two days time,” the older lady replied. “You must take tea with me again today. After lunch? I think enough of the turtle duck garden remains un-scorched.”

Katara grimaced internally at those words. Externally she smiled.

“I would be delighted.”

“Excellent!” Ursa let go of Katara’s arm and gave her a warm smile. “I will see you this afternoon then. I’m not joining you for lunch, although Iroh refuses to pass up on the opportunity to sample food of any kind.”

“I can’t wait to see if his cooking skills are as good as his tea-making skills,” said Katara.

“Well, not long until you find out.”

Ursa gave Katara an enigmatic smile and disappeared off down the corridor.

* * *

A few hours later and Katara was standing with the rest of the delegates in the prescribed meeting place to be taken down to the palace kitchen. She was feeling very relaxed after having decided to make use of the palace spa while she had time. It felt terribly decadent to lie down for a 90 minutes and have a massage, but the way her body felt now assured Katara that it wasn’t a luxury, it was a necessity. Almost of full week of intensive training with Zuko, and then last night, had made her muscles ache in ways they hadn’t since the war. But now Katara felt like she was made of cloud and if someone even so much as tapped her she would float off in ten different directions. It was quite a pleasant feeling.

Kiyi and Kuvira joined Katara, sliding in beside her and striking up an easy conversation.

“Morning Katara, or should I say afternoon now? Looking forward to getting your hands dirty in the kitchen?’ asked Kiyi as Kuvira raised a hand in greeting.

“Well, I’m imagining that it’s going to be a lot more fun than when I normally have to cook, so yes, I guess I am.” Katara rolled her shoulders back loving how loose they felt. “You’ll have us at a disadvantage, being a native and all that.”

“Oh I wouldn’t assume that,” replied Kiyi. “If you want to be worried about competition, I’d keep your eye on Kuvira here. From her stories it sounds like she was barely out of the kitchens while working here.”

Kuvira smiled broadly, “Look, I can’t help it if all the chefs loved me enough to give me snacks. Besides, all I did was watch while staying out of their way. They never actually let me near any food prep!”

“And what exactly did you to endear yourself to them so much?” questioned Katara.

“Just my charming personality!… And some bits of information they might not have come across otherwise…”

All three girls burst out laughing which drew some disapproving looks from other delegates which they noticed but did nothing to acknowledge except except raise their eyebrows at one another.  
Luckily at that moment Zula, the servant who had showed Katara to the training grounds on the first day, turned up to show everyone the way to the kitchen.

Kiyi, Kuvira and Katara stayed together on the walk down, being led through twisting corridors covered with wall hanging which were artfully woven, the colours bright. Katara kept her eyes open looking all around her, taking in the surroundings and as usual making a mental note of the way back without even realising. She’d always had an excellent sense of direction. It was in her blood.

While she was looking around her, the grandness of the palace was not lost on her. Although she’d been in the palace for almost a whole week now, and had been there on many occasions before it still never failed to impress her. While she’d grown up in poverty, in an ice hut with one room, Zuko had grown up surrounded by all this luxury at his fingertips. But even with all that wealth Katara knew that she would never have swapped her childhood for his. Both their mothers had sacrificed themselves for their children, but Katara had had a brother and a father who loved her fiercely, and her grandmother too. Zuko had had no one. Just these empty halls echoing with his father’s anger.

After around five minutes of walking Zula swung open a large double door to reveal the kitchen. It was sparkling and immediately obvious what part they would be having their activity at because it was the only part of the kitchen not bustling with activity.

Two benches stood with identical sets of dishes filled with ingredients at regular intervals while a chef waited for them at a smaller bench raised ever so slightly above the two of them. Zula showed everyone into the benches, and smiled when Katara thanked her by her name. 

Once all the guests were seated on the stools which had been hidden under the benches the chef began to speak.

“Good afternoon to you all distinguished guests. I am head chef Yuma, it is a pleasure to welcome you all to our kitchen today.”

As usual for a Fire Nation citizen, he added in a bow here and the guests returned it respectfully. 

“Over the next few hours I will be showing you how to make a few traditional Fire Nation dishes, and if you wish I can give you written instructions so you can recreate them back at home too! Now you don’t need to worry if you don’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen,” and here Katara exchanged a glance with the other girls, “everything we will be doing is super easy and I will be going through everything step by step. We are going to be making chillied squid rice balls, seasoned meat skewers, and Ichigo daifuku as a sweet treat to finish. Ichigo daifuku is a strawberry wrapped in bean paste and then a soft, sweet covering. You’ve had some already this week, but they are also a popular street food at festivals. Or have become so since Lord Zuko has been encouraging such things. We will be starting with the chillied squid rice balls.”

Picking up a squid Yuma deftly demonstrated how to remove the inedible parts and chop it into fine pieces. The delegates all picked up their own squids from a plate in front of them, some more enthusiastically than others, and began to prepare and slice them with varying degrees of success.

Chief Arnook was behind Katara and it wasn’t with a small amount of satisfaction that she heard him huffing to himself as he struggled to slice the slippery food. King Kuei who was next to him was also struggling, but judging by the noises he was making, he was enjoying it much more than Chief Arnook.

Once the squid was sliced they had to mix up the sauce it would be coated in before adding the squid to the rice. This was done by adding the appropriate amount of chilli to a mix of honey and soy sauce and then combining them all together.

“So the amount of chilli you want to add will be dependent on the kick you want in your food,” explained Chef Yuma. “Obviously the more chilli you add, the spicier it will be, so bear that in mind as you mix the sauce.”

“So Katara,” said Kiyi as they measured out their honey and soy sauce, “what’s your tolerance for the chilli powder?”

Katara laughed. “Not as much as yours, I can guarantee Kiyi. What about you Kuvira? Ever get used to the spice levels of the Fire Nation?”

In response, Kuvira dumped a bunch of chilli into her mixing bowl.

“I suppose you could say that,” she said.

“Oh, it’s like that is it?” laughed Kiyi, who had already added her chilli in, but added extra in after seeing what the Kuvira had done. 

The two of them looked expectantly at Katara. She held up her hands.

“Oh no, you’re not pulling me into your macho “who can take more heat?” game. I know my limits, thank you very much.”

“Aww boo, you’re no fun Katara,” said Kiyi jokingly.

“At least I’m gonna be able to eat my lunch!”

Further conversation was broken off by Chef Yuma starting to demonstrate how to add the squid to the rice (which had been pre-cooked for them) and then rolling them into the small bite-sized balls that could be popped into your mouth and eaten whole.

“While we let those rest, we will prepare our meat skewers,” said Chef Yuma and with a gesture other kitchen staff swept in, cleaning the guest’s countertops and laying down the ingredients needed for the next dish to be made. Basins were passed around to rinse their hands in before they began. The meat skewers were a lot easier than the squid, preparing them consisted of rubbing a spice mix all over the meat, and then threading them onto metal skewers to be cooked later.

“Okay, now the next dish is a little more complicated,” said Chef Yuma as, once again their benches were cleaned and prepared for the final dish. “I’m going to show you how to make the sweet dough which goes around the outside of the Ichigo daifuku, but I’ll come around and help you all personally as well.”

Chef Yuma was right, mixing the dough without making it too dry or wet was a challenge, and Katara was grateful for the assistants which came around to inspect how things were getting on as well as heating the dough up for them with their fire bending at the appropriate times. It turned out that Kiyi was surprisingly deft at moulding her bean paste and sweet dough and in no time at all had 3 perfectly formed Ichigo daifuku on the plate in front of her.

While Katara wrestled with sticky fingers and dough sticking to the bench instead of the bean paste she wondered how things would have gone if Zuko had come today. Was he good at this stuff, or would he be standing beside her in as much of a mess as she was? She imagined him with flour on his face where he would have touched it in a moment of forgetfulness, and then she thought about how she could have brushed it off for him, the feeling of his skin beneath hers…

“Those look great Katara!”

A voice jolted her out of her daydreaming. Chef Yuma was standing in front of her looking at her strawberries that she’d successfully covered in bean paste and were waiting to be covered in her version of the sweet dough they were supposed to be making.

“That’s nice of you to say, but I’m afraid they could be a lot better,” she said holding up her fingers, covered in dough.

That invoked a laugh from the chef.

“Ah, that is easily remedied,” and with a few swift movements scattered some extra dough on top of her dough and worked it in, drying it up into a texture which was much easier to work with. “Here, try that.”

Katara picked up the new dough and found it was much better, no longer sticky and much more workable.

“Much better thank you!” she said. “I’m not used to this delicate sort of cooking. I’m much more at home with an open fire and one large cooking pot.”

Chef Yuma nodded. “Yes, Lord Zuko often spoke about how you kept them all well fed during the final months of the war. He said you were a much better cook than his uncle!”

“Oh, well. I’m sure he’s remembering things with rose tinted glasses. I never had much to work with.” Katara was a little flustered over the fact that Zuko spoke about her to other people. She didn’t know why, she spoke about him often enough, so obviously she would appear in his anecdotes, but still. 

“And that makes it even more impressive,” observed the chef before moving on to help the next person with their dough.

Once everyone had manage to assemble their Ichigo daifuku, miniature grills were brought out and lit so that everyone could cook their meat skewers while eating the rest of the food they’d made. Kuvira insisted that Katara try one of her chilli squid rice balls and it was so spicy that Katara had to waterbend a drink into her mouth. She wasn’t convinced that she wouldn’t have to heal it later and when Kiyi offered her some of hers, Katara said she’d rather eat a plateful of raw ocean kumquats, eliciting laughter from the other two ladies.

As promised Chef Yuma also brought out dishes prepared by himself and his team, and while the food the guests had made themselves turned out surprisingly well, everyone tucked into the professional food with enthusiasm, chatting amongst themselves as they did so.

“This turned out much better than I expected,” came a remark in Katara’s ear as she helped herself to some dumplings stuffed with smoked sea slug.  
She turned to face Chief Arnook who was holding a hotcake in his hand.

“Hello Chief Arnook,” said Katara. “Were you expecting things to go badly?”

Katara knew he must have been. Judging by what she’d seen when she and Aang were training at the North Pole men weren’t often in the kitchen up there.

“I was a little nervous,” he admitted grudgingly. “But Chef Yuma is excellent at his craft. This was a good idea of Firelord Zuko’s. It’s such a shame he couldn’t join us.”

 _Not this again_ , thought Katara. “I know, I’m sure he would have been getting just as messy as all of us. He does love to pitch in and help.”

Chief Arnook nodded in agreement but to Katara’s surprise let the subject drop. Instead he changed the topic.

“I had hoped we would be able to have a few more conversations together this week Katara. It seems like you’ve hardly been around.”

“Oh, well, you know, there’s just been so much to do,” she replied, wondering why on earth he would want to speak to her more, and if it was something to do with the reparations both tribes were receiving.

“Do you think we might be able to go for a stroll after this? It would be good to catch up with the news from the South.”

“Is Sokka not keeping you abreast with all our developments?” asked Katara in her diplomatic voice, knowing full well Sokka gave more information to the North than the North gave to the South.

“Oh, no. I mean yes! Sokka goes above and beyond in his official capacity.” The Chief was a little rattled at the directness of Katara’s words. “I meant more casual news, you know?”

 _So gossip,_ Katara thought. _What the mood towards the Northern Water tribe is, how morale is, things like that._ Thankfully Ursa had given her a ready-made excuse to avoid that.

“I’m afraid that I have an engagement with Lady Ursa when we are done here.”

Chief Arnook wasn’t quite quick enough at controlling the surprise on his face. “Again? I thought you already had a private audience with her this week.”

Katara shrugged, trying to make it look as if it was no big deal. “She asked me to join her again. I can hardly refuse the mother of the Firelord, can I?

Luckily she was spared from hearing Chief Arnook’s response to that as Katara spotted Iroh and waved at him, causing him to change direction towards the two of them.

“Ah General Iroh!” Katara said brightly as he walked towards them. “How did you fare this afternoon?”

“Alas,” said Iroh glumly, holing up a sad looking Ichigo daifuku, “I fear my skills as a cook leave much to be desired. “Luckily, tea is a completely different matter. Or I would have no customers at all!” and with that he gave a hearty laugh, before popping the sweet treat in his mouth. “Still tastes good though,” he said with a wink at Katara.

Iroh clasped Arnook by the shoulder in a friendly manner. “Chief Arnook, we have not had much time to talk at all this weekend. Please, tell me how things are going in the North Pole. We have heard you have been doing great things up there since the end of the war.”

Arnook grimaced at Iroh’s touch, although if Iroh noticed he didn’t show it.

“Yes,” he replied, “Like everyone else we are working hard to restore our fortunes. There is a lot of demand for trade, although I am sure you can understand our reluctance to become too dependent on foreign products for essentials.”

“Ah, the most essential item of all is knowledge,” replied Iroh. “And that is the one thing that does not lessen the more it is shared.”

Katara didn’t wait around to hear Chief Arnook’s reply or the rest of the conversation, slipping off instead to chat to some Earth Kingdom delegates she’d not spoken to much.

Eventually the guests had emptied all the plates and Chef Yuma announced that the activity was officially over and although they were free to stay and watch preparations for tonight’s dinner there were staff members waiting at the door to show them back to a part of the palace they were more familiar with when they wanted to leave.

Katara would have happily stayed a bit longer. She found watching professional cooks prepare food was actually quite mesmerising, however she thought it would be prudent to head off now and not keep Lady Ursa waiting, so once an appropriate gap in the conversation she was in appeared, she disappeared.

* * *

Stepping down the steps into the turtle duck garden Katara had to keep from wincing. Although most of the garden remained untouched, large parts of it were burnt black. For someone who took pride in tending to these plants seeing it like this must be heartbreaking. Katara thought of how the vast swaths of plants had looked when Hama had torn the water from while teaching her water bending. Ripping the water from plants didn’t look dissimilar to the scorch marks across the lawn and flower beds she was looking at right now. Fortunately the tree next to the pond remained untouched and like last time, Lady Ursa was sitting under it waiting for her.

They greeted one another formally and engaged in polite small talk as Ursa waited for the tea to brew and then poured it out for the two of them. Eventually Katara noticed something she was surprised she hadn’t earlier.

“There’s no guards about.”

Now that’s she’d seen it, the absence of them was glaringly obvious. Not that they were in combat situation but Katara still felt annoyed at herself for not noticing. Why had they chosen to leave Lady Ursa unattended? Surely after last night they were as concerned for her as they were for Zuko. Well, maybe not as concerned, but Katara still thought there ought to be guards about. Ursa nodded at Katara’s words.

“You’d think that. But they’re just keeping a safe distance. It was easier to persuade them to do so when I told them I was meeting you. After what you did last night they’re all rather in awe of you.” Ursa set her tea cup down and regarded Katara. “What where you doing out here last night?”

“Oh, I just couldn’t sleep and was out for a walk,” said Katara breezily before taking a gulp of tea, not wanting to divulge the whole protracted reason she hadn’t been able to sleep in the first place.

Ursa remained silent, and although it wasn’t a judgemental one at all Katara felt compelled to speak the full truth into it. She lowered her tea cup slowly before speaking again, wondering if this was a skill mothers had.

“Well, actually, I was also looking for Zuko,” she said. “I’d done something not entirely thought-through earlier in the day, and was worried I’d embarrassed him. I wanted to apologise.”

Ursa nodded understandably. “Well, whatever you did, it seems it wasn’t entirely a mistake. If you hadn’t, there would have been no reason for you to be out of bed, and my son might well be dead.”

“Don’t say that!” said Katara. “I’m sure he would have been able to defend himself. He was just taken by surprise.”

“Maybe,” Ursa said grimly. “But it is concerning that so many intruders managed to sneak past our security. They must have been highly skilled.”

Katara paused, remembering the fight. The way the enemy had blended into the shadows so seamlessly, the coordinated attacks they had launched and the way they’d quickly adapted to two foes instead of one, while still retreating when they realised they had failed. It had been a well thought out attack, not a suicide mission.

“I had hoped to get a chance to talk to Zuko today about last night,” Katara admitted. “But I suppose he’s been investigating all day and won’t have a free moment until dinner.”

Ursa nodded. “You’re right. He’s not avoiding you Katara. I’m sure he’ll seek you out when he has a moment. I know he values your tactical input and will want your opinion on what happened.”

As strange as it was, Ursa’s words reassured Katara. She didn’t think that Zuko had been avoiding her, understanding that an attempted assassination attempt would leave little time for socialising but the feeling of Zuko’s lips on hers had been haunting hers all day and the reminder that he had been called away by duty rather than anything else gave Katara a sense of relief.  
She decided to change the subject before the conversation turned to Zuko with any more depth. 

“You haven’t joined us on many of the actives this week Lady Ursa. Do you mind me asking what you are occupying your time with?”

Lady Ursa took a sip of tea, as if to give herself thinking time before she had to respond to the question. Katara wondered if it had been too personal. After all, this was only the second time they’d had a significant conversation with each other. Ursa however answered after a brief pause, returning Katara’s earlier honesty.

“I spend most days with Azula.”

Ursa said the sentence simply, as if it was the most natural thing in the world but it still sent Katara reeling. With Azula?! Why? If Zuko had said that to her she would have asked him if he enjoyed torturing himself but even Katara knew not to say something like that to someone she knew as little as Ursa. As quiet “oh.” was all she could manage.

Crickets chirped from somewhere in the garden and Katara waved her hand lazily at at fly which was buzzing too close to her ear. Lack of annoying insects was another good thing about the cold of the South Pole.

“She was just a child when I left. They both were.” Ursa’s voice was quiet, vulnerable. “I left her alone with a man who was willing to kill his eldest to take the throne. I let him mould her and he turned her into a weapon. Banishing Zuko was the best thing that Ozai could have done for him. Azula had no such luxury.”

Katara felt shame at her earlier thoughts. When she thought about it, Azula wasn’t that much older than her. Hadn’t Katara been willing to fight and die for what she believed in? She was still willing to. It wasn’t Azuala’s fault that her father had brainwashed her into his way of thinking and the boy she had kissed last night hadn’t been that different to Azula when they’d first met.

“You left to save Zuko’s life,” said Katara softly, feeling as if she should reach for Ursa’s hand to comfort her but it was too far away and something about it seemed to awkward.

“I know, but…” Ursa let the sentence drift off into the air. Who knew how she had intended it to end? Certainly not Katara and maybe not even Ursa.

Katara didn’t know how to respond. How you you continue a conversation with a mother who is torn apart by the monster that her daughter became when she left?

“How is she doing?” asked Katara, and to her surprise finding that she cared about the answer.

“Some days are better than others. Azula always was wilful and for her to admit that she was wrong about her father… She doesn’t trust me, and I can’t blame her for that. But I do my best. I will always love her. Mothers can’t help loving their children, no matter what they’ve done.”

Katara touched a hand to her necklace. “I know.”

* * *

Katara sat on her bed watching clouds drift across the waning moon, her curtains open letting in the sound and smells of the night. Dinner had been outstanding as usual, although tonight it was accompanied with many jokes about meal preparation which showed a newfound respect for the work that went into their meals every day. Once again she’d not been sat beside Zuko and although the conversation at dinner had been pleasant she’d spent a large part of if wondering why her place name was yet to end up at the upper end of the table. At least she’d not been near Chief Arnook, and the fact she hadn’t yet, despite the fact it was an obvious pairing made her wonder if Zuko was aware of the tensions between the two tribes.

The cicadas were calling to one another and their noise comforted the girl from the Southern Water Tribe. Their shouting made it clear that everything was as it should be in the gardens outside her window. Katara felt like she was on the cusp of something, like she was waiting for something to happen; the problem was she didn’t know what. She supposed it was just down to the strangeness of the past few days. She’d gone from being excited to see an old friend, to realising that she maybe wanted him to be more than that, to kissing him, to waiting for him to turn up at her window. Oh. That’s what she was waiting for, she realised. She was waiting for him.

Katara shook her head at herself. What was she, a lovesick teenager? Expecting Zuko to arrive at her window by moonlight, declaring his love for her? That was a silly notion on more levels than one. And yet… Katara sighed. Matters of the heart were frustrating, they addled your brain and stopped you from thinking straight. This was useless, the best thing she could do right now was to get a good nights sleep and hope that she could steal a moment alone with Zuko tomorrow. Provided he still wanted that.

Thunk.

Katara looked up. Had something flown into her window?

Thunk.

The noise came again, followed quickly by another.

Curious, Katara stood up and walked the few steps to her window looking out into the garden. Standing there, dressed all in black his hair loose around his shoulder and a fist full of pebbles, was Zuko.

Quickly Katara opened the window. “Zuko, what the hell?” she hissed into the darkness. “You could have given me a heart attack!”

She hadn’t been scared though, the cicadas where still screaming at the night. At the sound of her voice Zuko dropped the pebbles and covered the grass to her window in a few easy strides of his long legs. He placed his hands on her windowsill and pulled himself up to hang there and talk to her. Not that it was hard, her windowsill was only half a foot above his head, but Katara still noticed the way his muscles tightened as he took the full weight of his body.

“I thought arriving silently in your room would scare you even more,” he said, a hint of humour in his voice.

Katara sighed and stood to the side, giving him room to fully pull himself out of the garden and into her room. He did it with the casual ease of someone who was used to sneaking in and out of buildings. And then he was standing in front of Katara and she suddenly had no idea what to say. That was new.

In the absence of anything intelligent to say Katara latched onto the most obvious question.

“How’d you get here without your guards seeing you?”

Zuko chuckled. “You think the Blue Spirit doesn’t know how to sneak past a few armed sentries? Especially when they’re focused on stopping people getting in instead of people getting out?”

“You make them sound like they’re terrible at their job.”

“Na, they’re good. I’m just better.”

That made Katara smile and Zuko took a step towards her. She was suddenly aware of how little she was wearing in comparison to him. Zuko was dressed head to toe in black, the only part of his body that was exposed was his face and hands while she was in nothing but a pair of shorts and loose shirt with short sleeves, perfect for sleeping in on the warm Fire Nation nights, not maybe not so great for having conversations with the Fire Lord in.

“I was afraid you regretted what you did last night,” she said quietly, not quite making eye contact with Zuko.

He took another step towards her. ‘You think I’d be here right now if I did?” he asked. He reached out and took her hand, and without thinking about it Katara stepped toward him, closing the last final distance between them. They were now entirely in each other’s personal space, Katara could feel his breath on her cheek.

“Do you?” asked Zuko. “Regret last night, I mean.”

She shook her head. “No.”

Katara turned her gaze upwards only to be met with the intense gaze of Zuko’s amber eyes. She reached up, brushing her lips against his ever so gently and he responded by placing his hands on her hips. Katara wrapped hers around his waist. They paused for just a moment, barely intertwined, before Zuko kissed her fully. He tasted of spice and bonfire, and just the faintest hint of wine.

Her hands moved on their own, they were in Zuko’s hair, on his body, tracing his cheek. She wanted to touch all of him, to feel all of him. She pushed against Zuko and he took the pressure, applying it back to her equally.

The next thing she knew the two of them were on the bed, lying next to one another, Zuko’s hands tracing up her legs. As Zuko snatched greedily at her lips she pushed her hands under his shirt, running her fingers over his chest. Zuko gasped and then let out a low moan, moving his lips to her ears and neck, making it Katara’s turn to gasp. Every inch of her felt like it was on fire, a sensation that intensified any place their skin touched one another.

“That’s nice,” she said huskily.

“Yeah?” Zuko replied and Katara could hear the smile in his voice. He nuzzled into her neck again and Katara rolled over so they were no longer next to one another, but she was above Zuko, straddling his hips with her legs. She leaned down to kiss him even while his hands pulled her towards him. Their movements were in rhythm with one another now and Katara’s hands wandered south, her fingers clipping the waistband of Zuko’s trousers.

“Katara…” Zuko’s tone held just the smallest hint of a question.

“Hmm?” she replied, her fingers creeping just under the material.

Zuko said her name again and then his hand was around her wrist, pulling her fingers back to to his chest.

“Too fast,” he whispered into her hair, pulling her body down beside him again and throwing one of his legs over hers.

She mumbled an apology as Zuko kissed her, his hands on her back inside her shirt. Their kisses were softer now, less urgent, taking the time to explore one another, smiling each time someone found a sensitive spot.

At some point they found themselves sitting up against the headboard, their limbs tangled, just breathing into one another’s space. The silence between them was easy, comfortable. In the stillness Katara regarded Zuko close up. The way his scared eye blended into the smooth skin of the rest of his face, the wrinkles at the corner of his eyes when he shifted his expression. He was just so beautiful. Katara realised she’d always thought that, but never registered it before. Well, she was registering the thought now and quite possibly would be doing nothing else for a while.

“Your mother told me about Azula,” Katara said, not knowing where the words had come from, but realising as she said them she wanted him to know she knew.

Zuko stiffened for just a second before deflating. “Yeah. It’s hard for her to accept that Mother still loves her. I’m not sure we’ll ever get to the point where we can let her out.”

“Ursa believes in her,” replied Katara, gently brushing a strand of hair out of Zuko’s eyes. “You should too.”

Zuko buried his head in Katara’s chest, pulling her tight to him and Katara placed her hands on his head, weaving her fingers through his hair.

“It’s been ten years. I neglected her when I first came to the throne,” he said, his voice muffled. Katara felt her chest reverberate with the sound waves and even though they were now having a serious conversation she couldn’t help but enjoy the sensation.

“It’s not your fault Zuko,” said Katara. “You were still just a teenager when you took the throne. You were dealing with your own trauma, rebuilding a nation, negotiating peace treaties. You did the best you could.”

Zuko pulled back to look at Katara. “And what if she never gets better? I don’t think Mother could bear that.”

“That’s Ursa’s responsibility, not yours Zuko. You can’t control how your mother reacts, just how you support her.”

Zuko nodded, and Katara kissed him. A short comforting one on the lips and a small part of her brain registered how bizarre and unexpected it was that she was kissing Zuko at all.

“I can’t believe this,” muttered Zuko.

“Can’t believe what?”

“This. That I’m sneaking out of my room in the middle of the night to see you. That you didn’t encase me in ice the first time I kissed you.”

Katara laughed. “It was a shock to me too. But I’m quite enjoying the kissing.”

Zuko smiled and leant forward, kissing her again, and just like all the other times, Katara’s stomach dropped out of her as she returned it and let her hands drift over his body.

Katara didn’t know how long had passed by the time Zuko eventually said that he needed to go.

“I have to get back before someone notices I’m missing,” he explained.

“I know,” said Katara, but understanding that he had to leave did nothing to curb her wanting him to stay.

As if Zuko could read her mind he reached out a hand to her. “I wish I could stay. But could you imagine the ruckus if someone needs me for something and I’m not where I’m supposed to be? Especially after last night.”

“I know,” repeated Katara. She stood up so she could close the window after Zuko had gone.

He sat on the ledge and swung his body over the edge, hanging in mid-air supported only by his crossed arms on the sill.

“We’re still training tomorrow, right?” asked Katara.

“Bet on it.” Zuko smiled and released his arms, dropping silently into the garden below and blending effortlessly into the shadows. Katara followed his movements for as long as she could, but it wasn’t long before she lost him and there was nothing more for her to do but collapse under the covers and hope that her brain replaying the last few hours didn’t prevent her from getting any sleep for what was left of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, this was difficult to get out! Maybe something to do with the inordinate amount of dialogue I seem to have decided this story needs...
> 
> The eagle-eyed amongst regular readers will also notice I've committed to this being 9 chapters long. Which means we only have 2 more to go!
> 
> Anyway, as usual, hope you enjoyed it and if you have any phrases or parts you particularly loved, let me know what they are. :)
> 
> Edit: The next chapter is going to be late I'm afraid. I'm going through some personal stuff atm, and my brain is completely empty. I promise I'm working slowly on the next chapter though, and it will be along soon.


	8. ZUKO

The training ground was lit by the morning sun and Zuko (and by proxy, his guards) stood waiting for Katara to arrive. He knew she wondered how he was always waiting for her and the simple truth of the matter was that he simply didn’t sleep that much any more. His Uncle would probably tell him that it wasn’t good for him, but he found that his body could function on less sleep than it could when he was younger. So long as he got at least one good night most weeks, he was happy to run the rest of the time on less.

He stretched his arms up in a yawn, remembering the night before. The feel of his hands on Katara’s skin, her fingers in his hair… His body gave the slightest shiver of delight at the memory and he didn’t know if he should curse the Azula separatists for creating a whole bunch of extra work that kept him away from her yesterday, or thank them for creating the situation which had forced them to reveal their feelings for one another in the first place.

As the day gathered warmth into itself Zuko felt the heat gathering in his blood, power rising within his veins as the sun rose higher in the sky. He released some of it, fire blossoming in his palm, growing into a spiral which shot skyward before fading into nothingness. There was such beauty in firebending Zuko wondered how he had never seen it before the Dragons had shown it to him. He continued on, creating patterns overhead with his fire, watching it curl and weave around above him.

“Starting without me?”

Katara stood before him, resplendent in the morning sun, her hair pulled into a long plait down her back. Zuko felt his mouth form into a goofy grin at the sight of her.

“Hey!” He said, holding a brief pause before he realised that Katara had asked him a question. “Oh, no! I was just- I- I’m just happy.”

Katara blushed, clearly aware that she was the reason he was feeling so joyful this morning.

“It was beautiful,” she said. “Why don’t we slow things down this morning?”

Zuko’s heart dropped before he realised she meant in training, not with what was happening with them.

“What did you have in mind?”

“I’ll show you when we’ve warmed up,” she teased, a smile dancing across her face.

Curious about what Katara had planned, Zuko warmed his muscles up with a certain anticipation. His whole body hummed and he flew through the exercises his joy lending speed to the minutes it took to preform them.

‘Okay,” said Katara when they were both finished. “So this is something I made up to help make things a bit more fun for the new water benders at home. They’re only little, so this helps them practise without realising it.”

“Are you telling me I have a short attention span?” Zuko teased.

Katara laughed. “No. But I promise you’ll enjoy this.” She took up a stance opposite him, a few steps away. “It’s supposed to be a way of passing water between pairs, but I think I can modify it enough so that we can just use our respective elements. So, uh, just follow along I guess?”

“Super clear Katara,” said Zuko, but lit up a flame in his hand while Katara floated a large ball of water in hers.

“Oh, no, opposite sides,” said Katara, blushing at her mistake in explaining it already and Zuko took the opportunity to admire her eyelashes.

He jumped the flame from his left hand to his right and Katara smiled. “Okay, so don’t mirror me, do the opposite.”

Their movements started off slowly; a step to the right, and back to centre. A step to the left, and back to centre. Slowly, they began moving a circle around one another, their arms alternating in and out of the centre as their feet moved. Katara passed her water from one hand to the other, holding it in a perfect arc before pooling it. Zuko copied her, his flames unable to hold their shape in the same way as her water did, but he did make it twirl prettily causing Katara to smile and his stomach leap.

Katara stopped them moving in a circle and stepped to her left and then forward Zuko followed suit, bringing them shoulder to shoulder, his outside hand raised above his head, bringing his flame close to Katara’s water. He could hear the slight hiss of steam as it reacted to the heat but he resisted the urge to look upwards. Katara’s eyes were locked on him and Zuko didn’t want to look anywhere else. An ocean existed in those blue eyes and he would be happy to get lost in them.  
But Katara was still moving, making them pass back to back, their arms above separating and then once again they were facing one another.  
Katara pressed her hands together and when she separated them, there was water in each one. She held them up in front of her, palms facing Zuko, pushing them towards his slowly but steadily. Without even having to think about it, understanding perfectly, Zuko did the same, and as their elements connected, he let the flames die naturally, quenched by her water, even as it evaporated.

Their palms touched gently, sending a thrill up Zuko’s arm and into his heart.

Katara was beaming, and Zuko knew that he was copying that too. He knew that it had been a training exercise but it had felt more like dancing and suddenly he was really looking forward to the next evening when he’d actually be able to dance with Katara for real, with music.

“That was good,” he said, stepping back a pace when he really wanted to step forward.

“Yeah,” Katara agreed.

A silence hung between them, almost as if neither one wanted to break what they had just created, but Zuko was becoming increasingly aware of the gaze of the guards on his back and knew they couldn’t stay gazing at one another forever, no matter how much he wanted to.

“Sooo… You wanna spar now?” he asked, the questing feeling awkward in his mouth, as if he should say something more clever, more profound.

Katara chuckled obviously reading the self-consciousness on his face. “Sure. If you’re not sick of getting beaten by me.”

“How could I when it happens so infrequently?” he teased back, enjoying the expression on Katara’s face at his retort.

She had him pinned to the ground within five minutes and he gladly took the hand she offered him to help him to his feet. For the next half hour their clashes always somehow ended up with one of them helping the other up, small snatches of physical contact under the watchful eyes of Zuko’s guards.

* * *

The piece of toast Zuko had just lavishly spread with apple butter was halfway to his mouth when there was an almighty BANG and half of the wall to the dining hall disappeared. Several people screamed. Zuko himself whipped around at the noise, ready to protect his guests but instead of the assassins he was expecting, there was a small but familiar figure standing in the newly formed gap in his wall.

“Doors exist you know Toph!” Katara yelled from the back of the room, where she and Kuvira had also leapt into action. He saw that Kiyi had toppled her chair from reacting so fast and was sure if she’d been wearing her swords they would be pointing directly at Toph. Zuko was overwhelmed with gratefulness to these people who were willing to jump to his defence at the slightest hint of danger.

“What’s up Firelord Hotman?” Toph grinned. “Sorry about the wall.” and with a stomp of her foot sealed it up again so neatly it looked like she had never even come through it.

If Zuko could have gotten away with putting a palm to his hand and shaking his head in exasperation he would have done, no matter how amusing he secretly found Toph’s ability to cause a scene any time she entered a room.  
Instead he relaxed his stance and turned to address everyone.

“May I present Toph Beifong, the inventor of metal bending and one of my special advisors? Toph, you will excuse me for not introducing everyone individually. I am sure you are more than capable of doing that in your own time. Will you join me at this table for breakfast?”

“Hey everyone.” Toph gave a small wave to the rest of the room as people returned to their conversations and food, although Zuko was sure that the topic of conversation wouldn’t be the same as what it was five minutes ago.

“Really Toph,” said Zuko pouring her a cup of tea as she sat down. “Do you always have to come in through the wall?”

“I don’t do it every time!” Toph protested. “Just on special occasions.”

“Anyway,” continued Zuko, “I thought you weren’t arriving until tomorrow. You said you couldn’t make it earlier.”

Toph shrugged, looking looking past him (not that she was actually looking at anything) and took a bite from a bread roll on the table.

“My plans changed,” she said, not offering any more explanation, and Zuko knew it was useless to push her for one. Toph did what she wanted, and honestly, that was a large part of what Zuko liked about her. Of course, unlike him, she had the luxury of not having to maintain a diplomatic stance on everything from the creation of a new nation to the colour of someone’s robes. But still, it took self-confidence to act the way Toph did, and she had that in bucket-loads.

As Toph introduced herself to the others at their table Zuko picked up his toast which had dropped onto his plate when Toph made her entrance, although thankfully it had landed butter-side up. An impossible feat of physics, but he wasn’t going to complain. The Fire and Earth Nation delegates wasted no time in enquiring about Toph’s metal bending students. The ability to metal bend was in huge demand and Toph was under pressure to take on as many students as possible, but Toph, in typical Toph fashion refused to cower to anyone’s vision of her future that she didn’t have a hand in creating.

She was taking on metal bending students, but at her own pace, and only after they had been carefully selected by herself. It wasn’t that she wanted to keep metal bending a secret, it was more the fact that it was a difficult skill to master and although people were lining up to learn the skill, very few possessed the qualities needed to master it. Even Aang hadn’t learnt yet. Once her students had mastered the skill to Toph’s satisfaction she released them to the world, with only the promise that they wouldn’t abuse their new power, under threat of punishment from The Blind Bandit herself. Everyone had behaved themselves so far.

“Of course, the combination of metal bending with Fire Nation machinery is the perfect example of how out nations can support one another,” said Zuko, jumping into the conversation. “I know that many cities in the Earth Kingdom have already increased industrial production thanks to Toph’s metal benders and technology given as part of the Peace Treaty concessions.”

The Earth Nation delegate nodded in a agreement. “Indeed. This new invention, the ‘trains’ that Ambassador Sokka came up with last year, run on metal tracks, and I believe will revolutionise not only trade, but also travel. Imagine, getting from one side of the Earth Kingdom in a number of days instead of weeks! At the moment they run on steam, but we are hopeful that at some point in the future we will be able to use metal benders to run them.”

Toph nodded as she swallowed her food. “Oh yeah. Sokka was talking to me about that the other week. It’s a good idea, but it might be a while before there’s enough metal benders to make it work. Still, it’s good to have goals.”

“The Fire Nation will be happy to help in any way they can. The creation of new connections between us all is an honourable aim, and will ensure we understand one another as we all advance,” added Zuko.

The conversation moved on, with Toph slotting herself into the company with ease, and somehow managing to not offend anyone whilst still not completely adhering to social expectations.  
Eventually the ambient noise of the room changed and Zuko knew it was time he announced the activity for the day. On the final day before the celebratory banquet Zuko was actually taking everyone to the far side of the island, to view the unique forest there. It was to be a whole day trip, with a picnic lunch. They would be leaving in an hour.

Zuko touched a hand to Toph’s shoulder as he finished, indicating that he wanted her to wait for a moment. When the room was almost empty and Zuko had a break from saying good-bye to people he was going to see very soon anyway, he turned to her.

“Toph, I’ll have someone show you to your room, I just need to-”

“I’ll do it,” interrupted Katara, who had appeared without Zuko noticing. She touched the back of his arm, briefly, but it brought a smile to his face nonetheless. “I assume it’s in the same corridor as all our rooms?”

Zuko nodded. “Yeah, third on the right.”

Katara linked arms with Toph, out of friendship, and walked her out of the room.

“You will not believe how lavish these rooms are Toph!” he heard Katara say just before they passed out of earshot. Toph was still half a foot shorter than Katara, but years ago she’d cut her hair short so it hung lose around her face, and it made her look older. She was the very image of a powerful young woman and as Zuko watched the two master benders walk away he was very glad he was their friend, and not their enemy any longer.

A servant coughing politely beside him brought Zuko back to the present promptly.  
“Right,” said Zuko He gave a polite bow to anyone still left in the room and swept out, his head of security following along beside him. “I want the guards coming with us today doubled, if anyone asks, tell them it’s protection from natural dangers.”

The security guard nodded. “I doubt they will Lord Zuko.”

“I doubt it too,” agreed Zuko, “but it’s always best to be prepared with an answer. But now Toph’s here I also doubt anyone will come to any harm. She’ll sense anyone coming long before your guards do.”

The guard smiled grimly. “I can assure you the guards accompanying you today will be our best.”

“That may be so,” replied Zuko kindly and with a hint of humour. “But unless they can see with their feet, Toph’s abilities are far greater.”

He waved a hand of dismissal, and the guard bowed before striding off, presumably to let the extra staff know they were needed.

* * *

There was an excitement in the air when Zuko stepped out onto the steps at the front of the Palace an hour later. All the guests were present. Zuko spotted Katara and Toph making conversation with King Kuei. The transports were lined up, the dragon-moose snorting and stamping their feet impatiently, unhappy at having to stand in one place for so long. Everything looked like it should and Zuko sighed in relief. Even the extra guards he had requested stood inconspicuously amongst the carriages, as if they’d always planned to be there.

“Thank you everyone,” Zuko said loudly, his voice carrying over everyone else’s, causing them to quiet themselves. “We all seem to be present, and the carriages are ready to go. Each dragon-moose can take 3 people per carriage. The journey will take about an hour, but should be fairly pleasant. I would encourage you to take in the views if you are able.”

With that Zuko led the way down the steps and alighted into the first carriage himself. The mayor of Republic City joined him, as did Kiyi. He leant down towards the guard to ask her to see that Katara and Toph were in a carriage near the back of the group, but noticed that Katara was already doing so herself. It was like she had read his mind. He smiled to himself and turned his attention fully to the two people in his presence.

* * *

As promised, the path snaked out of the city and past rocky outcrops, houses which were dense in the town thinned out to the odd smattering of buildings until they finally stopped being visible all together. Zuko passed the time pleasantly, pointing out points of interest to help keep the conversation moving along. Periodically a guard would catch his eye and nod to indicate that everything was going to plan which made Zuko feel a lot more secure. Nothing could be allowed to ruin the next two days.

Eventually the open spaces gave way to trees which in turn developed into a forest. Before they got too deep into it the carriage Zuko was in stopped and the others followed suit. A middle-aged woman was standing on the road, waiting for them all. Her mossy brown robes were flowing and her feet were enclosed in sturdy-looking boots. She held a weathered staff in her right hand and her hair, although pulled back, was escaping at places, giving the impression she had just pushed her way through a thicket.

Zuko bowed respectfully to her.

“Madame Hoshchild, thank you for today.”

The woman bowed back.

“It is my pleasure Firelord Zuko.”

The rest of the party had now alighted from their own carriages and were gathered around, just behind Zuko.

“This is Madame Hoshchild,” Zuko said to the group. “She will be leading our hike today. She was raised in this forest and knows it like the back of her hand.”

Madame Hoshchild chuckled at his words, a deep chesty noise that made her sound older than she clearly was. She bowed to the group and gestured them a bit closer to her.

“We will be leaving the main road here. The trail is not difficult, but it is narrow in places. If we are patient, the beauty of the forest will reveal itself to us.”

Somehow in the shuffle forward Katara had ended up next to Zuko, and at those words she squeezed him ever so slightly on the arm causing their eyes to meet. Zuko smiled and quickly glanced away before the eye contact caused him to blush.

Madame Hoshchild glanced the group over before continuing. “Please stay with the group and don’t wander off by yourself. The forest is deep off the trail and it would be almost impossible for you to find your way back to it. I know the Firelord has no desire to lose any of you today.”

That comment raised a few nervous laughs from the group but they all glanced warily at the trees as if a monster might leap out to devour them at any moment. Madame Hoshchild turned and led the way off the main road, into the trees and the days adventure. A guard swiftly followed on, as did the guests with Zuko at their head.

The path started wide, with the trees and bushes on either side with plenty of space between then. The guests relaxed into their surroundings and were soon chatting amongst themselves, pointing at flowers with admiration and the glimpses of wildlife they managed to spot. The group was fluid, participants in conversations changing frequently and Zuko ensured that he was dividing him time between everyone, including Madame Hoshchild, who at one point was on the edge of being overwhelmed with questions from King Kuei.

Although the path was spacious, it was just close enough that when Zuko passed by Katara he was able to brush his hand against hers subtly, without anyone else noticing. Each time he did so a thrill went through him and on one occasion Katara caught his little finger with hers making Zuko wish he could stop the entire thing right there and kiss her. But he didn’t. This new warmth blossoming in his chest was, for the moment, simply between Katara and him.

Periodically Madame Hoshchild paused in her walking to inform the guests on aspects of the forest. She covered trees and other plant types in one pause, common bugs and birds in another. The trees surrounding them got closer and closer to each other, and the path, as they went further in. Eventually the path forced them all to walk single file, and the press of leaves muted not only their conversation but also the ambient sounds of the forest. Zuko knew that for those not comfortable in these types of settings it could be almost spooky, but he allowed himself to relax into it, enjoying the break from more man-made sounds that were common at the Palace.

Without warning, the path opened up into a grassy clearing, golden light bathing the hungry humans as they arrived into its embrace. Madame Hoshchild opened her arms wide, welcoming them to the heart of the forest.

“The earth here is rich with volcanic soil, it makes the plants grow strong, and tall. Fruit born here is larger than other places because of it. They say this grove used to be filled with the slumber of a sleeping dragon that cleared the trees, but dragons have not been seen here since before the 100 Year War.”

Zuko thought of the dragons that he and Aang had met 10 years ago, and the strange egg shaped jewel they’d found which had felt alive in his hands. He had hope dragons would be seen in this grove again one day.

At Madame Hoshchild’s request everyone sat down on the mossy grass, making themselves comfortable. Zuko tucked his knees under him, but he noticed that everyone had their own way of making themselves comfy. Toph lay on her back, feet flat on the ground, knees pointing upwards, and his eye, ever drawn to Katara, saw her cross her legs and rest her elbows on her knees.

“Stay still and silent,” Madame Hoshchild said. “Match your breathing to mine, but keep your eyes open. Take in the way the light hits the leaves, the pattern of the bark, hear the sounds of creatures all around.”

And so they did. Time seemed to slow as they meditated on the beauty of the grove, which only grew more beautiful with close inspection. Small birds forgot their fear and landed on the ground around them, pecking at something before quickly flitting away. The wind in the leaves sang of timeless age and a peace settled on the party.

Then, breaking the silence, was the rather loud rumble of a hungry tummy.

After an awkward pause a mumbled sorry came from a rather red-faced Fire Nation delegate, but Zuko just laughed, causing the rest of the party to chuckle too.

“I guess that’s my queue to announce lunch is ready,” said Zuko gesturing over everyone’s heads to the picnic blankets which had been spread out without anyone noticing. The food and drink looked enticing, especially after so much physical exertion in getting to the grove, and no one needed telling twice to tuck into the spread that had been delivered.

As guests lunched Zuko wandered amongst them, chatting and graciously accepting compliments on how well the day was going. Eventually he stopped at the blanket Toph and Katara were at, thinking it would be a good opportunity to converse more with Toph, whilst knowing Katara’s presence may be more than slightly influencing his decision.

“How much can you see?” Zuko asked Toph, as he sat down shooting a small smile at Katara as she did so.

“I can see enough,” she replied. “You all might be able to see the colours, but I can see the roots under the trees, the way they reach and reach, and intertwine with one another. It’s incredible really.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing!” said Kiyi, who had joined Toph and Katara for lunch.

Toph nodded. “There’s networks of inset tunnels, and burrows of small animals too. In fact, it seems significantly busier underground than it is over!”

Kiyi let out a low whistle. “You can really see all that?”

Toph nodded. “It’s the vibrations. The badgermoles taught me.” She tossed a small rice ball in her mouth and chopped down while Katara turned to Kiyi.

“Toph’s skill is incredible. She can sense things coming long before you can see them. It saved us more than once in the war, I can tell you!”

“And of course, her invention of metal bending has really helped all the nations progress since the finish of the war,” added in Zuko.

“Zuko,” said Katara nudging him playfully with her knee, “you don’t need to be ‘on’ right now. We all believe in you.”

Zuko blushed, but still smiled gratefully at Katara. She was right. He hadn’t even noticed how he’d gotten into the habit of always ensuring his words would have diplomatic weight to them, or that they were flattering someone in some way. He didn’t need to do that here though.

“I don’t mind the constant praise of my genius!” remarked Toph, eliciting laughter from everyone else around the picnic blanket.

And so the conversation turned to talk of other things and before Zuko knew it a servant was leaning down to his shoulder telling him it was time to leave. Zuko nodded and stood up, having a quick word with Madame Hoshchild before addressing the group, informing them it was time to go.

Madame Hoshchild took them back a different way to the one they had taken that morning. The press of trees wained as they journeyed back, until suddenly they were on the main road, carriages and dragon-moose waiting patiently, calmed by the nature surrounding them. The drive back to the palace was mostly silent, guests lost in their own thoughts, because it was impossible to enter that forest and not come out changed in some small way.

* * *

“It’s been a fantastic week Firelord Zuko,” Li, the Mayor of Republic City, remarked as he and a few others stood around with Toph and Zuko waiting for the dinner bell to ring. “I will be telling stories of this for a long time to come.”

Nods of agreement went around the group and Zuko breathed a sigh of relief whilst also holding onto the small feeling of pride that started to swell in his chest. He bowed with gratitude to Li.

“You honour me with your words Mayor Li. I am so grateful you were able to take time out of your busy schedule to celebrate ten years of peace with us this week.”

“We are all looking forward to tomorrow,” said Li and a few others voiced their agreement. “I don’t suppose you can tell us anything that’s going to happen?”

Zuko laughed. “Oh but that’s not a secret! You all already know that there is going to be a State dinner. We have a fantastic musical group coming to provide music for the dancing and many more people will be joining us.”

“So there’s no… Special surprises?” probed Li.

Zuko shook his head. “I’m afraid not. Well, the meal will be a surprise if that counts.”

That raised a few chuckled from the guests and the conversation moved on. As was usual the group was fluid and after a while people drifted away to start other conversations and Zuko found himself alone with Toph.

“So,” she said, elbowing him in the ribs. “What’s up with you and Sweetness?”

Zuko’s heart thudded against his ribs even as he tried to feign ignorance, his eyes quickly glancing over to Katara. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh please Zuko,” Toph rolled her eyes. “Your hearts both go crazy any time you’re near one another.”

“Toph, I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about. There’s nothing up with me and Katara. Apart from actually being in the same place for the first time in years.”

Even as he said the words he knew that Toph could tell he was lying. There was a reason she was one of his special advisors and it wasn’t her political tact.

“Pffft,” replied Toph. “Sure. Keep telling me that. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

And with that she sauntered off to engage someone else in conversation, leaving a slightly stunned Firelord in her wake.

* * *

The window to Katara’s room was already open when Zuko stepped lightly through the garden a few hours after dinner. Like the night before he easily pulled himself through it and Katara was in a chair waiting for him, reading the waterbending scrolls that he’d shown her at the start of the week. How was that only 5 days ago? It felt like a lifetime, so much had changed. Zuko remembered leading her down to where he’d already carefully arranged the scrolls, so happy to be able to make her happy. He should have known then how his relationship to her was changing.

“Toph knows,” he said as Katara glanced up at him, completely unsurprised to see him arriving through her window.

Katara exhaled and put her scroll down. “I suppose that’s why you waited this long. You wanted to make sure she was asleep?”

Zuko nodded and held out his arms. Katara stood up and folded herself into his embrace. She was warm and he could feel her muscles as he wrapped his arms around her. Momentarily all other thoughts went out of his head, the worries of the last 2 days forgotten as he breathed in her scent and he wished he could stay there forever.  
Katara inhaled deeply before pulling back a little to look at him while she spoke. Their eyes met and Zuko’s stomach lurched a way he was beginning to get used to.

“Oh well, people were going to find out eventually. Toph was probably always going to be first one to figure it out.”

“I wish we could have more time like this. Alone. Together. No pressure from anywhere else.”

Katara smiled softly. “I know what you mean. But we have tonight.” And she stood up onto her tiptoes and kissed him. “Thanks for finally letting me sit next to you at dinner,” she teased him, poking him in the ribs as she swirled away from his embrace to make herself comfortable sitting on her bed.

Zuko followed her over and climbed up next to her. “I promise it was always supposed to be like that. I just, I didn’t want to make it look like I was favouring you over others. Everything is political when you’re the Firelord. I couldn’t risk offending anyone.”

Katara took his hand, lacing their fingers together. “I know. I’m only joking with you. Dinner was fun.”

And it had been. Zuko was just as keen as Katara had been to be near each other at dinner. Even before he’d realised his feelings for her she had been his favourite non-family member of the party. Her company was never morose, or too serious. As they’d all gotten older she’d been able to shed some of the motherly aspects of her personality that Zuko knew had always been there out of necessity more than anything else.  
They’d spent the meal conversing pleasantly, with each other and the guests around them, knees occasionally pressing against one another under the table, taking rare opportunities to have their fingers brush as they passed sauces and the like to one another.  
Once Zuko had glanced down at Toph, but if she’d been paying attention to what was happening at the top of the table she hid it, deep in conversation with Uncle Iroh (who had been delighted to see her a day earlier than planned).

“Yeah, dinner was fun,” Zuko agreed. “We should do it again some time.”

“I’d like that,” said Katara.

“It’s a date,” said Zuko, and he leaned in to kiss her.

Fire blossomed deep within Zuko as his lips touched Katara’s, his fingers already automatically sliding up the back of her neck and into her hair. He loved the feeling of her hair in his hands. He already knew he could do that for eternity and never get bored of it.

Katara’s hands searched over his chest as they kissed, before making their way up to his hair and pulling out the pin that kept his topknot in place. He felt the long parts of his hair tumble down, some of it falling in front of his face which Katara effortlessly tucked behind his ear without even looking.

Soon they were lost in one another and Zuko lost track of time completely.

Some time later they’d made their way up to the headboard of the bed and Katara was cuddled into him, his arm around her as she rested her head on his chest. His finger drew patterns on the dark skin of her arm. There was a peace in his heart that calmed everything else, like being with her was like a sanctuary. Zuko kissed the top of her head and realised he was content.

And then his brain went into overdrive ruining the whole feeling.

“Katara?” he said, his voice low trying not to disturb the peace.

“Yeah?” she mumbled in response not shifting in the slightest.

“I gotta tell you that I was wasn’t- I mean- I don’t think I was very good boyfriend.”

Katara didn’t look up at him, instead lacing her fingers into his. Her response surprised him.

“I don’t think I was a very good girlfriend either.” She sighed. “I was always too concerned about what Aang was doing, putting his needs above mine. I’m not sure I ever once brought up a topic we need to discuss if I knew it would hurt his feelings.”

“You’ve never had a problem hurting my feelings!” retorted an indignant Zuko.

Katara laughed and now looked up at him, her eyes sparking. “That’s because I know you can handle it!”

She reached up and kissed him. “Don’t worry, we understand one another. We can handle this.”

Zuko kissed her back, his wild thoughts stilled, the warmth of affection blossoming in his chest and spreading out to the tips of his fingers.

  
The moon had begun to fall though the night sky by the time Zuko could tear himself away from Katara’s perfect embrace. He wanted nothing more than to stay there with her but, like last night he knew his guards would freak out if dawn came and he wasn’t in his own chambers. Plus, he needed to get at least a few hours of uninterrupted sleep in. Tomorrow was a big day.

“Maybe we could spar after breakfast tomorrow?” Zuko suggested as he was in the process of climbing out the window.

“Sure thing Zuko,” Katara replied, kissing him before pushing him out the window.

Zuko landed lightly on his feet on the grass below. “You don’t need to push, I’ve already fallen for you Katara,” he called quietly back up to her. Her answering groan was audible.

“That was terrible. Good night Zuko.”

“Good night Katara,” Zuko answered, the click of the closed window reassuring him she was safe in her room. His thoughts soon turned to his bed. Once this celebration was over, he felt like he’d be able to sleep for a day. He’d had a lot of late nights this week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toph is a *delight* to write.  
> I've been listening to Dermot Kennedy's album 'Without Fear' on repeat while I've been writing this fic. It's got major Zutara feels, I'd highly recommend it.


	9. ZUKO & KATARA

Rain thudded against the roof and walls of the Fire Palace. Guests covered their heads as they dashed from uncovered walkways to covered ones, trying their best to avoid getting drenched, while wondering what on earth had brought on a rainstorm on this day of all days.

Getting dressed in his chamber Zuko listened to plinking of raindrops and smiled. He knew these types of downpours never lasted long and that by this evening the puddles would have evaporated and the air would be warm once again.

Katara knew it was raining before she’d even come out of her sleep fully. She felt it in her bones, the way her muscles sang out to the sudden presence of so much moisture all around. As she stretched under the covers of her plush bed she was thankful that the rain would provide an excellent excuse as to why she and Zuko hadn’t been training that morning.

* * *

Breakfast was a jovial affair, the guests keen to ensure that any conversations they’d wanted to have over this week were completed before the chance was gone. Naturally they’d be having breakfast tomorrow, but their numbers would have swollen by then, with all the guests who were only able to make it to the ball tonight joining them.

Katara ate with Toph and Chief Arnook who was unable to corner her about political issues with Toph around. Zuko chose to sit at at table near the back of the room with an Earth Kingdom mayor he hadn’t spent much time yet with. He could see Katara clearly from where he was sitting and once or twice she glanced back towards him, a spark in her eyes which Zuko knew meant he was in for it when they got to the training grounds after breakfast.

Once everyone had fed and watered themselves, as usual, Zuko stood up and announced that they were free to do whatever they liked with the day. Guests for tonight would be arriving at varying times and he would be staying at the Palace to greet them as they arrived, but that the nights celebrations would commence in the Grand Hall 60 minutes after the gong sounded.

While they’d been eating the rain had ceased, the sun shining bravely through the clouds and doing its best to dry the world.

“You sure you’re alright until later?” Katara asked Toph. They’d be discussing what their plans were to amuse themselves before Sokka and Suki arrived.

“Oh yeah,” Toph replied. “Kuvira said she wants to have a training session of her own with me. We’re gonna go find somewhere away from the palace for it.”

Katara raised an eyebrow. “Does Kuvira know what she’s letting herself in for?”

“Probably not!” said Toph, cracking her knuckles and laughing in a somewhat maniacal way, which people who knew her recognised as her gleeful laugh. 

“Try not to break her,” Katara remarked dryly as Toph got up from the table and headed off, presumably to meet Kuvira in a pre-agreed location.

Toph shot her a look as she passed the door, “No promises,” and Katara shook her head silently and hoped that Toph was only joking.

* * *

Katara headed down the hall that led to the door she always used to access the training grounds, convinced that this time, finally, she would beat Zuko there. She was wrong. She knew before she even opened the door that Zuko was there because, standing silently outside, were two guards. They didn’t remove their gaze from the corridor as she passed by them and through the door and Katara knew then that they weren’t just for decoration.

Sure enough, not only was Zuko standing in the middle of the training grounds, a smile on his face, but there were no guards inside the grounds.

“I managed to persuade them that two guards at each door was enough, and that we’ll scream very loudly if anyone comes over the roof,” Zuko explained.

Katara ran over to him and enveloped him in a hug.

“Thanks Zuko,” she said, as he tightened his arms around her, lifting her off her feet, just a tiny bit.

Zuko would be lying if he said he’d spent the morning convincing his guards that it was fine purely so Katara would feel more comfortable this morning. He wasn’t against a little privacy himself.

Released from the embrace, Katara was soon in her training gear facing Zuko across the grounds. She was ready for this today. This would be their last chance to face off against one another for a while and Katara wanted to make the most of it.  
Likewise, Zuko assumed his fighting stance. He too was eager to begin. They’d spent the last week getting to know one another again, their styles had changed subtly over the years and today he felt confident that he and Katara would fight better than they ever had before.

The moisture in the air was a boon for Katara, it gave her so much more to work with and with a flick of her wrist she made it denser so Zuko’s fire wouldn’t be as effective and have to work harder to reach her.

The two of them stood at opposite ends of the training ground, Katara light on her feet, Zuko solid in his stance, each one waiting for the other to make a move so they could counter it. If anyone had been watching it would appear as if the two of them moved at the same time, each exploding out in a show of impressive power and ability.

Water whips fended off fireballs, and the two of them dodged and weaved, sometimes close, sometimes further away. At one point Katara covered the entirety of the ground in a thin sheen of ice, forcing Zuko to concentrate his bending ability to the bottom of his feet just to stay upright while Katara sprinted effortlessly in an arc towards him. Zuko flipped onto his hands, blasting fire from his soles as he did do, just as she got within striking range, forcing her to back off and remove the ice so she had enough water to counter the heat.

Eventually, as if by mutual wordless agreement, the pair of them paused in their movements, each breathing heavily from the effort of trying to get through the others defences.

Zuko moved to the side of the grounds to take a drink and Katara joined him.

“It’s a bit humid, isn’t it?” said Zuko, slowly peeling his top off, leaving his chest completely bare, his muscles exposed and quite frankly, somewhat inviting.

Katara slid up to him so she was close but not quite touching his body.

“Are you trying to distract me Firelord?” she said, gazing up at him through dark lashes and a smile that made Zuko want to drop into a puddle at her feet.

He inched even closer to her, but keeping to the ‘not touching rule’ that Katara had appeared to enacted. He lowered his head so that when he spoke his breath kissed her instead of his lips.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Too late he heard the distinctive ‘shink’ of a knife being created out of ice and the next thing he knew, Katara was holding a blade to his throat, still with that sugar sweet smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes.

“I win,” she said, but she let Zuko take the blade from her hand and drop it to the floor.

“Do you want a prize?”

“Oh, I can think of something I might enjoy…”

The water break lasted significantly longer than expected.

* * *

Once she was washed and showered Katara wandered around the palace looking for Toph. Sokka and Suki would be arriving soon and she was sure Toph would want to be there to greet them along with herself and Zuko.

It wasn’t long before she found Toph, and to her surprise an intact Kuvira hanging out in the empty stretch of land between the palace walls and the prison. Katara could see why they’d chosen here for their sparing. It was a barren landscape, cold and uninviting. No plants or pretty gardens to trash, but also out of the way too so as not to disturb anything that was happening in the palace.

“You just missed King Kuei,” remarked Toph as Katara approached the two of them. “He wanted to watch ‘an impressive display of bending’.”

“Yeah, he wanted to see Zuko and I spar earlier in the week too. I told him no,” replied Katara.

Toph cocked an eyebrow. “Making sure you weren’t disturbed?”

To Katara’s surprise Kuvira answered before she had a chance to.

“The training grounds aren’t exactly set up for an audience. And I doubt King Kuei would have the skills to stay well enough out of the way.”

“Thank you!” said Katara, shooting Toph a ‘told you so’ look, even though she couldn’t see it. “Come on, Sokka and Suki will be here soon, we’d better hustle if we want to greet them.”

Toph stood up, brushing the dust off her trousers. “I suppose we’d better. Boomerang boy will get all weepy if he thinks we don’t love him.”

“Oh hush,” Katara chided. “He was really sleep deprived when that happened. You know how he gets. You don’t get much sleep as a new father.”

* * *

The whole palace had been transformed in the space between breakfast and lunch. Zuko walked down the halls in his full Firelord regalia admiring the tiny lanterns that had been strung up between all the support columns of the walkways. A quick flick of his wrist and one that had gone out was lit up again. The lanterns weren’t the only thing that had gone up, the Grand Hall had had a make-over too. Streamers and banners hung from the walls and ceiling, works of art depicting major events and historical advances of the last ten years gazed down on anyone who wandered into the room.

Zuko guessed he would be here from now until the ball started pretty much. He’d helped himself to a substantial lunch down in the kitchen after his sparing match with Katara, before going through the arduous task of putting on his formal robes. Luckily his mother was there to help with the shoulder guards. They were rather cumbersome to put on yourself.

Already a few people had arrived. The new leader of Omashu, a few more delegates from Republic City. Zuko had greeted them all with warmth and small talk before handing them over to a servant to show them to their rooms for the night.

Zuko linked his fingers together and stretched his arms downwards, releasing a sigh as he did so. This was one of his least favourite parts of being Firelord. Standing around and saying effectively the same thing to different people.

“Bored already Firelord?”

The sound of a familiar voice caused Zuko to turn and there was Toph and Katara walking towards him, both with smiles on their faces. Even though he’d seen her just a few hours previously Zuko’s mouth cracked into a wide grin on seeing Katara. Even just her being around made him feel better.

“Not now you’re here,” he said in response to Toph’s question.

Katara touched him gently on the arm as she got close enough.

“We figured we’d be here to say hello to Sokka and Suki at the same time as you. It’s almost time for them to arrive, right?” she said

Zuko nodded. “Yes. And, if I’m not mistaken,” he continued glancing down the steps to the carriage pulling up, “that’s them now.”

The carriage that pulled up was a standard Fire Nation transport, mostly plain with just a touch of gilding around the edges but as Zuko predicted the door opened, spilling out a small child, followed by Sokka and then Suki, who was holding a toddler on her hip.

Suki was in a beautiful pink tunic while Sokka was dressed in his everyday water tribe clothing, his boomerang on his back as usual. Zuko hoped he’d leave it in his room for the ball later.  
The eldest child raced up the steps, dragging her father along behind her, although Sokka didn’t seem to mind. In fact, when he spotted Zuko, Katara and Toph waiting for them at the top of the steps he quickened his pace, after a quick glance behind him to ensure that Suki and the youngest child weren’t too far behind.

When they reached the top, the child, suddenly faced with three tall people became shy and moved to stand behind Sokka instead of leading the way. Sokka just laughed. 

“It’s okay Kya,” he said, placing a hand on her head and looking down at her. “It’s just Auntie Katara and Zuko and Toph. You know them.”

Katara bent down and gave a little wave to her niece, who detached herself from Sokka and ran into Katara’s arms giving her a massive hug. Zuko bowed formally to Sokka, and to Suki who had just arrived at the top of the steps. 

“Ambassador Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe and Ambassador Suki of the Kyoshi Warriors, it is an honour to have you here today. Thank you for attending.”

“Like we’d say no!” replied Sokka reaching forward and pulling Zuko into a hug, to the annoyance to Katara. It was like he didn’t even care about traditional formalities! Suki however, did bow back, or as best she could holding a child, and thanked Zuko for his invite.

“And this must be little Yue!” exclaimed Zuko, stretching out a hand to tickle the toddler in Suki’s arms on the cheek. Yue giggled in response.

“Oh, she’s so precious,” he said.

Suki bounced the smiling child on her hip and gazed adoringly at her. “We think she might be an earth bender,” she said. “Or there could have just been a minor earthquake at the exact same time I took her favourite toy off her for doing something naughty.”

“Oh really?” said Toph, suddenly interested. “Well, I guess she’s tougher than she looks.”

Katara rolled her eyes. “Toph she’s not even two yet. How could she possibly look tough?”

“You think I didn’t look tough by the time I was two?” Toph questioned indignantly jabbing a thumb to her chest.

“I think you were the most adorable little toddler that ever existed,” teased Katara, causing Toph to stick her tongue out and blow a raspberry at her.

“Don’t do that in front of the children! You’ll give them bad habits.”

Suki laughed at Katara’s words. “Oh you don’t need to worry about that, Sokka’s taught them plenty of those already.”

“Hey!” protested Sokka. “Those are nothing but time saving activities. You’ll thank me when they’re older.”

“I’ll thank you,” said Suki, “when you teach them to not throw their dinner on the floor when they don’t like it.”

“We’re working on it,” replied Sokka. “Aren’t we Kya?” and he scooped his eldest daughter and tossed her into the air causing her to shriek with delight. “What do you think? Should I throw you out when I don’t like you any more?”

“No Daddy!” she laughed as she was thrown skyward again. “You don’t throw people out.”

“It’s a good job too,” agreed Katara. “Otherwise I would have thrown your father out long ago.”

“Not if I’d thrown you out first,” Sokka countered.

Yue, who had been watching the excitement with wide eyes, inexplicably burst into tears. Suki bounced her up and down, making soft cooing noises at her.

“Sorry. She’s just tired. It’s been a pretty long journey for her. We’d better get her down for a nap,” she explained.

“I’ll come with you,” said Katara.

Zukko nodded and with a flick of his hand Zula, the servant who’d shown Katara to the training grounds on her first morning at the palace, was at his side.

“I’ll show you to your room Ambassadors Sokka and Suki," she said quickly with a formal bow. “It’s not far, please follow me. Your luggage is already there.”

As the five of them were led off, Kya turned around and yelled a goodbye (the first time she’d spoken to them) at the top of her voice, causing Zuko and Toph to laugh deeply.

“Do you want to hang around for the rest of the greetings?” Zuko asked Toph.

“Na,” she replied. “I’m gonna go find the best place to erect a statue of myself in the numerous gardens this place has.”

As she walked off, Zuko sincerely hoped that she was only joking.

* * *

The gong had sounded, and dusk had fallen. As Zuko predicted, the rain of that morning had dried up completely and the evening was a warm one. No one would feel cold tonight as they dined in the gardens and danced in the Welcome Hall. Fireflies danced low to the ground and many of the guests were amused by little Kya running around trying to catch them, sighing with disappointment every time her fingers closed around a tiny spark, only to to open her hand to nothingness.

Sokka had changed into more formal clothes, the cut of the tunic extenuating his broad shoulders. Kya and Yue were both in white dressed trimmed with purple, and Suki wore an elegant robe which fell neatly to the middle of her calves. Toph had refused to put a dress on, but she had changed into an elegant green and white suit and allowed Katara to pin her hair back with a few clips that shone in the flickering lights. Closer inspection would reveal them to be made of highly polished animal bone.

Katara was feeling every inch a princess tonight. Suki had helped put her hair in an intricate plaited do, with the rest of it falling like a waterfall down the back of her neck. The light blue dress she was wearing was impractical for anything except this sort of function, a sweetheart neckline with tulle covering her chest and arms. The skirt fell in waves around her legs stopping just below the knee which would fly out beautifully when she spun on the dance floor, a fact Katara was very excited about. A soft pair of pumps finished off the look.

As Katara had arrived in the hall she had caught the eye of Zuko, winking at him from behind Sokka, enjoying the look of admiration on his face. She was sure she was looking at him in much the same way. He always had looked regal in his Firelord robes, but tonight he appeared to her even more so.

The guests were milling around the Welcome Hall, creating a pleasant background hum of noise which showed contentedness. It wasn’t yet an hour since the gong had sounded, but most people were there already as no one wanted to miss the start of the event.

All the guests were there save one; the Avatar.

Zuko wasn’t worried. He knew that Aang may have been delayed on official business, but he also knew that he’d be here. Aang had promised.

As if on cue, there was a familiar swoosh of air from somewhere over the roof of the palace and then Aang was standing on the top of the steps, framed in the doorway, his glider held in one hand as if it was an extension of himself as he looked around, a massive grin on his face.

He stood tall and proud in traditional formal Air Nomad robes; a wide skirt hung over one shoulder allowing his tattoos to be shown off to their full effect. It also revealed the scar he had on his back from Azuala’s lightening, but it had faded in the decade since he received it, and it no longer had the shocking look of a raw wound.

Zuko, followed by the rest of the Gaang and the children, strode out to where Aang had landed.  
At 22 years old Aang’s height was within inches of Zuko’s. He’d completely lost the innocent round face of his youth and although he’d experimented with facial hair in the past, on this occasion he was clean shaven, not a whisper of stubble anywhere to be seen.

Zuko and Aang clasped each others forearms in greeting, before being pulled into a mutual hug. As Aang released Zuko and said how good it was to see him, Zuko had a slight pang of guilt over what he and Katara had been getting up to the past few days. But then he reminded himself that Aang and Katara hadn’t been an item for years. They’d been first loves, he’d never take that way from Aang, but he also sincerely hoped that he’d be Katara’s last love and that Aang would understand that. So Zuko smiled and told Aang it was good to see him too. And it was.

Once Zuko was done greeting Aang Karatra rushed in for a hug. She had no remorse over the new state of her and Zuko’s relationship, her life was hers to with what she wanted.

Even before Katara had released him, Sokka and Toph and Suki all muscled in to give their greetings and soon the lot of them were laughing together, just like they used to, except this time there were two small children pulling on hair or trying to put their hands all over Aang’s bald head.

“Right,” said Zuko. “Let’s get this party started.”

He motioned at Aang to follow him and the two of them ascended onto the stage which had been placed in the hall. Zuko didn’t even need to start speaking for the guests to fall quiet, in fact many eyes had followed him and Aang as they made their way up through the hall to the stage. Ursa and Iroh had joined them and were standing respectfully at the back of the stage, just as they had done at the start of the week.

Bowing respectfully to the entire crowd Zuko began his speech.

“Welcome everyone to The Fire Palace. I hope you will have an enjoyable time here tonight. We are gathered here to celebrate a decade since the end of the 100 year war. A war that was started by my forefathers. I cannot tell you how grateful I am at the willingness of all of you to work with me to make amends for the damage that was done to your nations in the past. I know I cannot heal all hurts, cannot bring back those that were lost in conflict, but I can promise that the Fire Nation will continue to help rebuilding cities damaged and knowledge lost. I am taking steps within the Fire Nation to ensure that the mindset of my grandfather never again arises. The school system has changed to teach the true history of the war and we learn about each nations culture, and how to respect and treasure our differences. I have every faith the in children of my nation. I hope you will too.”  
Zuko looked out at the sea of faces from all over the world, the riot of colour and differences that existed there was astounding to him. He was proud of what he had achieved, even as he knew there was much more to be done.  
“The years immediately after the war were not easy, and I am sure that we will have difficult days to come. As I learnt while sailing during my exile, the seas you navigate are rarely smooth all the time, but it is the storms which made an experienced sailor.”  
That raised a slight chuckle from the crowd.  
“Working together will be the only way we can get through the hard times so I encourage you tonight to meet someone new. Ask someone what their favourite item from the buffet in the garden is, ask another to teach you a new dance move when the band starts up in here. Make relationships which will last longer than this night and treasure them. We are all here to celebrate the same thing; peace.”

His final sentiment delivered, Zuko bowed to the crowd again and stepped backwards, allowing Aang to come to the front of the stage and take his turn at addressing the crowd.

“Thank you Firelord Zuko for those thoughtful words. Travelling all over the world as the avatar has taught me many things. But one thing I have seen repeated again and again is that when communities come together, out of love, whatever the object of that love may be, they can achieve great things. I had every faith in the ability of Firelord Zuko to lead the Fire Nation down the path of reconciliation and justice and today I also have to thank you for trusting my judgement and allowing him to lead in the way I knew he could. Being the avatar during this time hasn’t been without it’s difficulties but looking at you all now, and having just come from a village which has prospered due to nations working together to distribute resources, I am so proud of what we have all achieved together.”

A polite round of applause went around the room as Aang finished and they descended the stage. Aang was almost immediately surrounded by people wishing to talk to him about one thing or another, or just so they could go home and say they’d spoken to the avatar. Likewise, Zuko had a few people attach themselves to him as he crossed the room. He handled it graciously, leading them to the garden where he could help himself to food while he discussed matters of state with them.

Katara watched him go, her heart swelling with pride at the way he had presented himself, how he’d been humble but also optimistic. She wished that she could spend the whole evening with him, but it would look strange at this moment if she went around with him all night. He’d promised her a dance later, and for the moment she had to be content with that. A tug at her dress caused her to look down.

“Auntie Katara, will you play with me?”

A soft smile crept across Katara’s features. “Sure thing Kya. What do you want to play?”

Later, once Kya and Yue had been put to bed, Katara stood watching Suki and Sokka twirl each other around the dance floor, thinking about how amazing it was that they had found one another because of the war. One good thing to come out of so much trouble. Toph and Aang were enjoying a brief moment of respite from official talk on the other side of the room. She could see them laughing together, probably at a stupid joke Toph had just made.  
Zuko appeared beside her, just as the dance was ending.

“May I have this dance?” he said, offering his hand out to her.

Katara curtsied. “You honour me Firelord.” But she took his hand and allowed him to lead her out into the centre of the room as the chords for a new song began.

Katara recognised the notes. It was a tune played all over the world at official events and almost everyone knew the choreography to it, a simple yet elegant pattern of partners moving away and back together which even the least dance competent could master.

Zuko led them through the movements and Katara let her feet move without thinking about it too much. Her muscle memory took over allowing her to enjoy the feeling of moving with Zuko to music, instead of trying to outwit one another in the training grounds. Should could do this for a very long time.

“You look beautiful,” Zuko said quietly in Katara’s ear as the dance brought them close together.

Even though Katara knew it was true, hearing it whispered in her ear by Zuko still made her blush.

“Thank you. You look incredible too.”

The dance took them out of whisper range, but it was just a brief moment before they were back chest to chest, hands clasped.

“Shall we let everyone know?”

“I suppose we better had.”

And they kissed in the middle of the dance floor.

Everything faded away. They didn’t see Sokka’s jaw drop, Toph’s triumphant grin or Aang’s understanding nod. The only thing they were aware of was each other. They didn’t know what the future held for the world, or them, but they knew that they’d be facing it together, and that meant all obstacles were surpassable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end!
> 
> Phew! This took a lot longer than I thought it would when I started, but thank you for reading, commenting and leaving kudos throughout the entire process.  
> Seriously, those of you who left regular comments kept me going on the days when writing was tough, so thank you.
> 
> If you're reading this for the first time, or the 50th, I really hoped you enjoyed it and it gave you lots of happy Zutara feels. :)

**Author's Note:**

> Any parts/sentences that you really loved? Let me know what they were!


End file.
